Palawan to be promoted as historical destination

MANILA, Philippines–A coalition of government agencies and private sector groups is pushing Palawan as a historical destination.

This move is expected to boost tourist arrivals in the province by as much as 10 percent.

The coalition is composed of Rajah Travel Corp., the Department of Tourism, the Province of Palawan, the City of Puerto Princesa, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Palawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Palawan Tourism Council.

According to Rajah Travel chair Aileen Clemente, Palawan’s tourism goes beyond the underground river and its pristine beaches.

“We are trying to put together a tour package that will highlight lost historical pieces of Palawan and its contribution to the country’s liberation during World War II,” Clemente explained.

“While the United States army has recognized the importance of Palawan by naming one of the learning and training rooms in the barracks of its 41st Infantry Division in Oregon after it, a lot of Filipinos are still not aware of the heroism that happened there.”

Among the historical tourism destinations in Puerto Princesa that will be highlighted by the coalition are the World War II Memorial Museum, Plaza Cuartel, Mendoza Park, and the Iwahig Prison.

“The current efforts being done are toward refurbishing and restoring these places and improving the tourism infrastructure surrounding those areas.  These are just places that are just waiting to be discovered,” Clemente said.

Clemente added that the group was expecting more American and Japanese tourists to flock to these historical sites.

In 2014, the total American tourist arrivals grew by 7.14 percent to 722,750 representing the biggest increase among the top five markets, while Japan, with its 463,744 tourists, accounted for close to 10 percent of total arrivals last year.

Combined, the American and Japanese tourists spent P52.11 billion during their stay in the country last year.

Outside of American and Japanese tourists, Clemente also sees potential for increases in visitor arrivals from the region given the new air and sea connectivity talks among Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.