Comval to develop tourism circuit
THE Provincial Tourism Office of Compostela Valley is currently developing an entire 57 kilometers (kms) to 65 kms stretch for its Wellness Loop Development where a number of tourist destinations can be experienced in one circuit.
The office banks on the natural beauty of their province and is now gearing towards the development of their ecotourism in order to promote and bring in more tourists to Compostela Valley.
In an interview with Comval Provincial Tourism Officer Christine Dompor, she said they have started with the development last year and is now on the road concreting stages.
The entire project is estimated to cost around P87 million to P100 million. Dompor said they want the tourist to appreciate the natural beauty of the destinations.
“Wellness Loop Development is a connection of all tourist destinations in one circuit. It will start in Mawab all the way to Maco highland, going out of Maragusan all the way to Mati. The road is actually being concreted and once the road will be opened, I am sure a lot will locate there,” Dompor said.
The entire tourism route allows the tourists to experience and see hot spring waterfalls, Lake Lenard, a two to three hour trek towards a volcano, cold spring chasing waterfalls, 21-tiered falls, and the famous giant flower raflesia. The distance of one tourist destination from one another is estimated to only be a 30-minute trip.
“You can just imagine in just one circuit, you can just experience all that. We’re thinking 3 to 5 days, if you have long holidays, that’s the best spot,” she said.
In one day, the tourists are estimated to spend around P500 to P600 per head. However, if the tour would last for about three days total cost per trip will cost P1,500 to P2,000 including the accommodation.
As the construction of certain developments in the area is ongoing, Dompor said there are still tourists visiting the tourist destinations. However on April 21 to 22, they are to launch the camping component of the circuit even when construction will still be on going in other parts of the loop as well as the rehabilitation of tourism systems in specific tourism destinations in the loop. She said they estimate to complete the project within two years.
In the future, when the loop development is done, restaurants that serve vegan and healthy food made from the pro-
food made from the produce of the farmers in the loop will also be put up. Dompor said this will help the tourists fully experience wellness upon visiting in the destinations. In a way, the farmers will benefit as well.
Dompor said they also plan to have a special transport system which will take all the tourists in the bus from the starting point until the end of the loop.
“Once people get to see the potential of the place, people will start crowding in. Before you know it, it might be difficult to control them. So we’re coming up with our official transport system that will help conserve the place once it is open. This is a form of crowd management preparation and to address the traffic immediately even before it arrives,” said Dompor adding that they are aware that all ecotourism sites have tolerable carrying capacities of tourists. With that, they want to make sure that the natural beauty of the tourism destinations are still preserved while being promoted to the people.