Benguet tourist sites getting more popular with travelers

By Susan C. Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet tourist sites are getting more popular with  over a million travelers in three quarters of this year.

A total of 1.05 million tourist arrivals were recorded from January to September this year compared to the 543,066 tourist arrivals of the same period last year, based on  the records of the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Division as culled from accommodation establishments, day visitors, campers and balikbayan.  

For accommodation establishments for both local and foreign tourists,  increase was from 35,343 to 63,692 or  80.21 percent for local and from 1,578 to 3,036 or 92.40%  for foreign.

For the day visitors, from 48,1761 to 949,925 or an increase of 97.17% for local and 24,384 to 26,952 or 10.53% for foreign  tourists.

According to Tourism Operations Officer Francis Likigan, the increase in tourist arrivals for the first and second quarters was attributed to the flocking of tourists in particular destinations coupled with the aggressive recording of tourist arrivals in the designated tourist information centers administered by Municipal Tourism Action Officers.  

Topping   the list of visited areas among the locals is Sitio Pungayan in Mt. Kabuyao, Tuba, Benguet,  known as  "La Presa"  in the popular teleserye “Forevermore”.  

BenCab Museum in Asin,  also in Tuba,  ranks second in the most visited places in the province mostly  by  foreign visitors.

Still a favorite place to visit (3rd) mostly among local visitors is the Strawberry Farms in this  capital town.  

Other top tourist areas visited in Tuba are the mountain resorts  in barangay Nangalisan such as River View Water Park (rank 8th), Pooten Asin Resort (11th) and Palm Grove (12th).

Tourist vistas frequented in Bokod both among locals and foreigners are  theAmbuklao Dam ( 4th) , Bobok Pine Forest ( 5th), Spillway View Deck (6th), Indian View Deck (7th), Palansa Panoramic View (9th), Badekbek Hot Springs (10th),  Adwagan River (15th), and Banao River (16th).

Also in the top list  are  Mt. Pulag (13th) in Kabayan and 1300 Level Swimming Pools in Itogon.   

With the onset of the rainy season, a downtrend of arrivals   was noted   during the  third quarter.

Gov. Nestor Fongwan said tourism as one of the activities in the province, boosted economic activities. Part of the provincial government’s program is installation of  community police assistance centers in strategic areas for public safety and security and establishment of public toilets along national highways   in partnership with concerned stakeholders.