Tour, events, hike held to promote Kalinga tourism

By Peter A. Balocnit

LUBUAGAN, Kalinga- - The Provincial Tourism Office recently conducted a 3-day familiarization tour to promote Kalinga’s Village Hopping tour package.

Lorraine Ngao-i of the PTO said this was participated by tour operators, travel agents and guides from Manila, Baguio, Tuguegarao, Bontoc and Tabuk City.

She added that a group of mountaineering clubs earlier made a climb to Mt. Sapokoy in Pasil which is part of the 444- kilometer Cordillera Great Traverse covering six provinces aimed to establish a trekking trail comparable to those famous trails in other countries.

Meanwhile, Lubuagan town, dubbed “Cultural citadel of Kalinga” celebrated World Tourism Day  with  the community  revisiting  places of interest   for better appreciation  of their tourist destinations.

Ansherina Rose Odiem of Lubuagan Tourism Services said her office headed promotional Walk for Tourism from Barangay Mabilong to Dangoy recently attended by about 100 community members.

The activity  aimed to raise awareness among residents  of their own pride of place  and  condition of roads and trails as basis in providing solutions and concerns in line with this year’s celebration theme of  "Tourism for all: Promoting universal accessibility."

Pupils and students participated in the tree planting activity in partnership with the Municipal Agricultural Services Office where 67 Mahogany seedlings were planted by senior high school students and pupils within the school grounds of the Lubuagan Central School.

“A healthy environment equates a responsible tourism,” Odiem said,  adding the activity aimed to raise awareness among the young regarding global trend of climate change and how they could help mitigate this in their own little way such as planting trees.

  -- JDP/PAB