PUERTO Princesa is projected to receive some 1.8 million tourist arrivals in 2020, from a targeted 1.5 million this year.
This was the fearless forecast by Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron, attributing the expansion of the city’s tourism sector “to the mounting of direct flights to Taiwan, the construction of additional accommodations and the opening of new destinations.” In 2018, visitor arrivals in Puerto Princesa grew by 24 percent to 1.28 million, with top market sources being South Korea, China, Taiwan, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Seventy percent of visitors to Palawan go to Puerto Princesa City, home to the world-famous Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site. The city has a full “mountain-to-sea” ecosystem and also is one of the most visited destinations by luxury cruise ships, Bayron said in an interview with the BusinessMirror.
Puerto Princesa generated investment commitments of some P27.5 billion after its first business forum in Manila, which the city government held in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid). Around 300 investors and delegates from the private sector, select embassies and the local government attended the forum where Bayron showcased investment priority opportunities in tourism, agriculture and fisheries, renewable energy, and information and communications.
Among the investors who pledged investments during the forum were Green Asia Unlimited and Development Corp. and SM Development Corp., which committed P10 billion each in the next two to five years, according to a statement from the city.
For private investment, for example, the city government listed a Bancao-Bancao Beachfront property that could be developed into a tourism destination; and also a retirement village can also be developed in the city. Opportunities for joint ventures or public-private sector investments also include the development of the San Carlos-Bacungan Mangrove River Cruise, and a zoo park in the city.
The city government also listed opportunities to develop the Acacia Nature Park and Tree Tunnel, the Balayong Park, the baywalk, Puerto Princesa City Environment Estate and the Maoyon River Cruise.
Bayron underscored incentives for investors to set up businesses in Puerto Princesa, specifically tax holidays for six years for tourism-related businesses within the Tourism Mile, a designated tourism development area that includes the stretch of Rizal Avenue from the Provincial Capitol to the old airport terminal in Barangay Bancao-Bancao.
Meanwhile, the local executive said Air Busan from South Korea is expected to mount direct flights to Puerto Princesa this October, a welcome addition to the Tiger Air and East Star Airlines now flying from Taipei and Inchon, respectively.
The opening of 11 new hotels this year, will add 636 rooms to the existing 5,452 hotel room inventory in the city, according to Cecille B. Isubal, city program coordinator for the Usaid-Surge project. Since 2016, Usaid’s Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (Surge) project has been providing technical assistance to the city government to improve ease of doing business and asset management, and bolster investment promotion efforts, which greatly contributed to the successful business forum.
These new hotels include: Costa de
Palawan (102
rooms); Modern Asia (158);
Astoria Palawan (106); Millenium Properties (47);
Sheridan (71); NS
Excellence (25); J
Save Realty (10); Padrones (10); Hagedorn
(15); Carpe
Diem Villas (10);
and, Crown Residences (82).
Other destinations are opening in the city that are sure to attract more visitors, according to Bayron.
“The city government will complement the anchor Puerto Princesa destinations [Underground River and Honda Bay island tour] with the Balayong Park [Cherry Tree Park] and the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex, which are currently being renovated or improved so the city can host major sporting events,” he said.
The mayor asserted, contrary to popular belief, the opening of San Vicente and the mainland of El Nido to tourists has had “no impact” on Puerto Princesa’s visitor arrivals.
“Puerto Princesa has a different market; and besides, we are the gateway to other Palawan destinations. As a matter of fact, tourist arrival increased by 24.02 percent in 2018 from 2017.”
While there have been some complaints from major tour operators of the unpreparedness of Palawan’s tour guides to handle large groups, and the inefficiency of some tour transport services, Bayron committed to further improve tour guide skills and transport services sectors.“We are in the process of upgrading our tour guide skills through the DOT [Department of Tourism] accreditation and continued training.”
He added that the city is strictly enforcing “anti-colorum operation” to address the complaints of inefficient transport services. Also, he pointed to their project called “Bantay Turista,” which the city implements in partnership with the police, the Land Transportation Office and other tourism stakeholders. This project is designed to keep tourists safe.
Other speakers at the business forum were Maximo Ricohermoso, president and chairman of the Board of MCPI Corp.; Jeffrey T. Ng, president of Astoria Hotels and Resorts Group; Haidee C. Enriquez, chief people officer of Sitel Group; Arthur Gindap, senior vice president and Business Unit general manager, Robinsons Hotel Group; and Quintin Pastrana, president, WEnergy Power Pilipinas. They shared their experiences in doing business in Puerto Princesa.