P12 billion set for tourism road projects

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Category: Top News

Published on Thursday, 14 February 2013 21:05

Written by Estrella Torres | Reporter

TOURISM Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said on Wednesday the government is spending close to P12 billion this year for infrastructure projects that would link roads to top tourist destinations and address the growing demand of domestic and foreign tourists.

He said that as the country gears toward attracting 10 million foreign and 56 million domestic tourists by 2016, the government should see to it that roads, ports and airports leading to major tourist destinations are reached with ease by travelers.

“It’s easy to create the demand [for tourists], but the real challenge for the government is how to be worthy of that demand,” said Jimenez at the conclusion of the first Philippine Economic Briefing for 2013.

Luzon will get the bulk of the budget for the tourism infrastructure program with P5.6 billion; Mindanao will have P3.8 billion and the Visayas P2.3 billion.

Jimenez, who led the country’s branding campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” said in his presentation that the biggest problem of the tourism sector is the access of visitors from the airports to the many great tourist destinations.

The government spending on tourist attractions almost doubled compared to P7.92 billion in 2012 and P1.39 billion in 2011.

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The tourism chief said measures are already in place to facilitate domestic and foreign-tourist arrivals in the country. 

These include the issuance of free 14-day visas for Indians with American, Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Singapore, Schengen and British visas.

Jimenez said he also expects the congressional bill eliminating the common carriers tax to attract more foreign tourists into the country.