Phl loses chance on global cruise tours sans port infra

CEBU, Philippines - While the Philippine tourism department is making efforts to push for the inclusion of the country in the routes of international cruise lines, the lack of proper port terminals suitable for cruise stops is seen to impede such effort.

Local tour and travel operators reiterated its call for the government to fix port terminals and invest on sea-based transportation infrastructure to help promote the thousands of enchanting islands in the country.

Cebu Association of Travel Operators past president Alice Queblatin calls on concerned government agencies to immediately respond to the industry growth if it intends to develop tourism as one of the country's growth driver.

She said both local and foreign tourists now are demanding to explore the different islands and islets in the country. In Cebu for instance, island destinations like Bantayan Island, Camotes, Malapascua, as well as the neighboring provinces in Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor are suffering from lack of sea-based transportation access.

Queblatin said before the country could invite the big international cruise companies, it has to fix first the support infrastructure like good port terminals, and availability of reliable sea-based transportation that could ferry tourists to different island and islets in the country. "We don't see concrete plans to build [or improve] better ferries and passenger terminals. We want better connectivity by sea," Queblatin emphasized adding that while the country is already on the right track of building better airports, sea-based transportation infrastructure should also be given equal attention, considering that not all attractive destinations are accessible by air.

She added that the Philippines is no doubt an attractive country for cruise lines, however, the kind of passenger sea-ports the country has is still not ready to accommodate this kind of service, unless facilities will be fixed to global standards.

"We are concern now on how to well promote our islands," Queblatin said.

This issue has been hanging for years already, in the lasttwo years tour operators, specifically CATO, already made a similar "bold" call, emphasizing that the new generation travellers now are more adventurous and would like to explore newer and fresher destinations such as exploring the islands.  

Last Wednesday, Department of Tourism chief tourism operations officer for planning and product development Warner Andrada announced that the Philippines is now talking with different international cruise lines through Cruise Lines International Association, as more global cruise companies expressed interest to enter the Philippines.

Queblatin, who also owns one of the largest travel and tour companies in Cebu said that at present, the Philippines is "not yet ready" to invite international cruise ships, although the Philippines has great potential as one of the target destinations for this type of travel option in Asia. (FREEMAN)