Tourism boom seen with new airport

By Jennelyn Mondejar

ALAMINOS, Pangasinan -- Residents of this province are expecting a boost in the local tourism industry with the construction of an airport in Alaminos.

The construction of the air terminal is expected to draw a huge increase in the arrival of local and foreign visitors off the Hundred Islands National Park and other spots in Northern Luzon.

Pangasinan is also expected to see more investments because of Malacanang’s development projects for the province.

Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza said his constituents expressed gratitude to President Arroyo for the approval of the construction of the airport.

He said having their own air hub would open the door for more employment and economic opportunities, and multiply local revenues in the whole of Pangasinan as well as in the northern part of the province of Tarlac and Zambales.

Braganza said the access transport system would encourage more tourists to visit the Hundred Islands once the airport and a proton car assembly plant are built this year.

“The proposed airport will trigger the development of tourism-related infrastructure projects to accommodate tourists and improve service in the coastal districts of the province,” he said.

Some 75 percent of the foreign tourists in Region 1 visited Ilocos Norte in 2006, according to the National Economic Development Authority.

“We also anticipate an upsurge in the number of tourists from Ilocos Norte to use the airport and likely to drop by the Hundred Islands National Park before their departure,” Braganza said.

Reports from Alaminos City’s Tourism Office showed there were 128,005 local tourist and 10,733 foreigners who visited the Hundred Islands for the whole of 2007.

At least 102,219 local tourists and 8,787 foreigners trooped to the Hundred Islands, in January to December 2006, while there were only 59,962 Filipinos and 3,734 foreign guests in 2005.