Enhanced integrated tourism program gets underway in Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa City (7 December) -- The city government recently launched its Enhanced Integrated Tourism Program in a bid to make Puerto Princesa City as the country's premier eco-tourism city destination.
Ms. Araceli Villanueva, City Tourism Consultant presented the program to more than 100 tourism industry players citing the components of the program as frontrunners of the "enhanced" package.
The components include arrival and departure amenities; tourist international and assistance centers; community/barangay ownership of projects; and, enhanced systematic working arrangements for the Underground River tour, the Honda Bay Tour, and city tour with appropriate sectors both public and private.
Ms. Villanueva also underscored the importance of adhering to the Global Code of Ethics which sets the frame of reference for responsible and sustainable development of world tourism.
In a related news, Mr. Jamas Mendoza, Project Manager of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean National River (PPSNR) said that there is a remarkable increase in the visitors to the park this year as compared to the same period last year.
As of November, there are already 131,942 park visitors while there were only 93,438 total registered visitors in 2008. Of the total park visitors this year, only 14.6% were foreigners. The summer months of March to May registered the most number of visitors.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean National River is the Philippines lone entry to the search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. (PIA)