Bohol Tourism gets a boost with new Community based travel offerings
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) is currently engaged in community-based travel to boost grassroots tourism and increase local employment in Bohol.
Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano on Thursday said beyond Bohol’s famous Chocolate Hills, Loboc River, Century old churches and the lovable wide-eyed tarsier, it has other attractive areas promoting eco-adventures.
“Danao is a fourth-class municipality with first-rate leadership and first-class tourism experience. Bohol’s natural beauty, matched with adventurous, creative minds, is reason enough for their huge growth potential in ecotourism,” said Durano.
The Danao Adventure Park, recently inaugurated on its Charter Day, offers eco-thrills including the Suislide – their kilometer-long zipline, Sky Ride or cable car, and the canyon swing -–dubbed The Plunge, which launches you to do a giant swing from a drop of 200 meters below. This is the first in the country.
“Evident here are the lessons of tourism development,” Durano said, citing it is “important to start with the natural and cultural assets you have. You can never be what you are not; and in our country are troves of natural treasures.
“These blessings, coupled with local initiative and strong leadership, always spell success in terms of sustainable community-based tourism,” added Durano.
From the initial investment of Php20 million, the adventure park now generates revenue of Php1 million monthly, Durano said.
The adventure park boasts of scenic view of the Wahig River, mountains and rolling hills, among which is the historical Dagohoy Hill, the very spot where Francisco Dagohoy started the longest revolution against the Spaniards.
Trekking, wall-climbing, rappelling and root-climbing also await adventurous travelers, as well as kayaking, river tubing, and rock bouldering, in the river downstream.
Spelunking in the mystical Kamira Cave is also a highlight. Community interaction and organic farm visits likewise invite eco-travelers to immerse in the unspoiled, undiscovered surroundings and Danao culture.
“This is among the region’s best-kept secrets, holding a treasure of promise. It is only natural for people to truly come back for more, and spread the good word about it,” Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions, Eduardo Jarque said.
“We have seen the positive contribution of LGU-initiated ecotourism efforts, where the whole community benefits. Here in Danao, the agricultural produce harvested from their organic farms will supply the growing number of tourists coming to the area, along with the general employment this eco-adventure park has generated,” Jarque added.
Rolando Cañizal, Director for Tourism Planning and Promotions, noted, “The Department is continuously active in tapping this huge potential in community-based tourism, unlocking unique strengths from the locals, allowing for capacity-building measures, that further translate to economic growth.”
