Over 300 US-based Filipinos and American tourists led by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez are set to arrive in Bohol Thursday as part of the 12th Ambassadors’ Tour, a government initiative which seeks to boost Philippine tourism and contribute to the development of local communities.
According to Anthony Damalerio, chief of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the delegation includes seven consul generals and will tour the province’s top tourist destinations during their three-day stay.
The group will visit the Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Balicasag Island in Baclayon, the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella and Demo Farm in Maribojoc, among other tourist attractions, said Damalerio.
The Bohol tour is the last leg of the 12th Ambassadors’ Tour which brought the delegation to Manila and Cebu starting July 9.
The Ambassadors’ Tour is a joint undertaking between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
“Filipinos and Filipino-Americans are highly regarded in this country because they play a very positive role in society. By going on this tour, they will have a chance to reconnect with their roots and develop pride in their Filipino identity, thus making them more effective ambassadors of the Philippines here in the US,” Romueldez said.
Initiated in 2005, the Ambassadors’ Tour has become a venue for members of the Filipino-American community to see firsthand the positive changes in the Philippines.
“Participating in the Ambassadors’ Tour is also a way for US-based Filipinos and Filipino-Americans to help boost Philippine tourism and contribute to the development of the local communities in Manila, Cebu, and Bohol,” Romualdez added. (rt)