SAGADA, Mountain Province – The local government continues to record a significant increase in tourist arrivals in one of the prime tourist destinations in the Cordillera over the past several years because of the desire of foreign and domestic tourists to visit nature destinations around the country.
Mayor James Pooten said the local government recorded some 180,000 tourist arrivals last year which was much higher than the 160,000 tourist arrivals in the municipality the previous year.
“Sagada continues to get a share of the foreign and domestic tourists wanting to tour the beautiful tourist destinations around the country that is why the local tourism industry remains vibrant to date. We have been experiencing huge influx of visitors since December last year but we were able to manage the situation contrary to what has been posted in the social media,” Pooten stressed.
The local chief executive claimed the problem of traffic in the municipality happened when visitors flock to the view deck to view the sunrise and the same situation happens in the afternoon when tourists flock to see the sunset but the situation can still be managed because of the cooperation of residents and visitors to the policies imposed on the bringing of vehicles to the tourist spots in the town.
According to him, tourists are allowed to bring their vehicles and park the same in the parking spaces provided by lodging establishments while they will be required to avail of the public transport provided by operators of public utility jeepneys and van owners when visiting the different tourist spots to avoid congestion of vehicles in the limited spaces in their desired tourist destinations.
Pooten explained lodging facilities with insufficient parking spaces for their clients have to coordinate with private land owners in the different parts of the municipality to reserve parking slots for their clients to avoid unnecessary inconvenience for tourists when visiting the different tourist spots because the operators of the town’s public transport will take care of their transportation requirements when going around the tourist spots.
He pointed out tourists wanting to visit the different tourist spots must first register in the designated tourist information center right in the heart of the locality and pay the corresponding registration fee before booking their visit to their desired destination whether caving, visit to the waterfalls, sunrise, sunset among other desired spots, including the newly opened art hub although visits to the said hub should be done on an appointment basis.
Pooten added the local government is in the process of updating its comprehensive land use plan to address the problems of the expected robust development that will be triggered by the expansion of locally owned businesses to provide the needs of the increasing number of tourist arrivals in the municipality annually.
However, he emphasized the municipal government will no longer allow the opening of other tourist destinations so as not to compromise the sacred grounds and the state of the environment in the municipality as local tourism stakeholders want the sceneries in the mystical town to be maintained.
By HENT
