Tourists will now see new destinations here

Tourists who find time to come back to Bohol for another visit will now have good reasons to do so.

This is so because new destinations are now being developed and promoted  under the “EcoTourism Bohol” program which was officially launched yesterday at the Bohol Tropics Dagohoy Grand hall.

A dry run of three new destinations found three clustered places for the convenience of the tourists to visit.

Dubbed as “Bohol Surprise Tour,” tour no. 1 brings tourists to the loom weaving in Tubigon, Loon coral stairs, organic farm, mangrove adventure and the Punta Crus Watchtower, all in Maribojoc. This stats at 9:00 am until 5:00p

Tour no. 2 is boating experience to Lamanoc Island and the white sandy shorelines

and a swim at the Anda beach zone, a visit at the Jagna calamay industry  in Jagna (8:00am-6:00pm)

Tour No. 3 includes a visit at the cocojam industry in Albur, ironsmith workshop in Loay, Balay sa Humay in Batuan , Bohol Biodiversity compkex in Bilar and ancestral house in Loay (9:00am – 5:00pm)

Booking for the tours can be done at the Bohol Tourism office at the Governor’sd Mansion while its website is at www.boholtourismph.com

Governor Edgar M. Chatto officially launched theEcotourism Bohol Program, a component of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sustainable Environment Protection Project (SEPP)

The event was witnessed by DOT Region 7 representative Ms. Judilyn Quiachon, 1^st District Board Member Yul Lopez, Municipal Mayors, Heads of PGBh offices, SEEM Cluster Head, Provincial Tourism Council, Municipal Tourism Officers, Ecotourism Sites Representatives, Tour Operators, Tour Guides, Transport Group Representatives, members of the Press including  YoichiroAso of the Manila Daily Shimbun, members of the Ecotourism Promotion Committee and other tourism stakeholders.

Kuniomi Hirano, deputy leader of the JICA Expert Team said the  objectives of the program are to encourage well-balanced development of whole Bohol, to make a new Bohol branding, to contribute on local economy and community income and to attract more tourists by offering new tourism destinations and tour products.

JICA also supports the program with a website (www.boholtourismph.com) for all eco sites.  Guide plates and Welcome Banners were given to sitespart of the Bohol Surprise Tours 1, 2 and 3. Other needs of eco sites were also addressed.

Hirano added that Welcome Boards (acrylic material) and Welcome Banners will be given to 100 more tourism sites in the province by August 2015. Ecotourism Bohol Program expects to come up with 10 more eco tours and JICAwill prepare brochures for new clustered- eco tours before the project ends.

Atty. John Vistal, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator shared his eco tour experiences in Ise City, Japan during his recent trip funded by JICA.

NonetMadriñan-Bolo, chair of the Ecotourism Promotion Committee presented the survey results of the three new Bohol Surprise Tours that showed paying guests gave good satisfaction rating for all three new eco tours. The same rating was received by individual eco sites. The same survey showed guests willing to pay for the price of said tours which they consider fairly-priced.

In his speech, Gov.  Chatto declared his support to the Eco-tourism Bohol Commitment – to value and preserve Bohol’s nature, culture, food and livelihood, introduce local resoures and way of life, empower local communities for sustainability, establish a sense of mutual responsibility with the tourist as caretakers of the community. To underscore his support, he alsodeclared that the LGU commits to make policies that are conducive to ecotourism development in Bohol.

In the EcoTourism Bohol website is the inventory of destinations: completed, not yet completed and those which are still collecting data for the development program.