DAVAO ORIENTAL – As the province is set to launch its grand tourism campaign dubbed “Davao Oriental Beautiful,” which is poised to promote the province as a premier tourist destination, the provincial government has started setting plans to improve its existing tourism sites.
On Saturday, September 3, Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon led the inspection at the Pintatagan Welcome Park situated at the province’s entrance in the municipality of Banaybanay. The Welcome Park and all the other existing eco-parks, which are the province’s tourism come-ons, will soon be getting a well-deserved facelift.
With the eye of a developer who gives premium to aesthetics, well-planned, and adequately curated tourism sites and infrastructures, Governor Malanyaon and her team from Provincial Tourism Office met with top-caliber architects to discuss the plan and check the areas of the park that need improvement.
For the Pintatagan Welcome Park, considered the gateway to the province, the Governor plans to put up a Kagan-inspired cafe that will showcase one of the prominent tribes of Banaybanay town– the Kagan tribe. The Governor said she wants to give tourists a “Kagan experience” — from the dishes to the decors and embellishments.
A province with a rich cultural heritage, Davao Oriental will also be showcasing the Mandaya culture in all its tourist sites, especially on the east coast, which is predominantly composed of people from the Mandaya tribe.
The Governor said she envisions all of the province’s tourism sites to become must-see stop-overs spots for tourists that will give off a relaxed ambiance and offer a glimpse of the beautiful destinations of the province. This includes Davao Oriental’s crown jewel — the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary — Mindanao’s first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Recognizing tourism as one of the major economic drivers of any Local Government Unit, she said that these sites would simply serve as support facilities to aid the entire tourism sector of the province. She said tourism will not only help resorts, restaurants, hotels, and tour operators but will mainly help farmers, fisherfolk, and the transport sector, among many others, thus, creating vibrant tourism and economic activities that will benefit everyone.
She also expressed her hopes that the provincial government’s initiative will inspire other private tour operators to improve their establishments and adopt the province’s standards in terms of tourism and hospitality, as Davao Oriental has what it takes to be a premier tourism destination in the country and the rest of the world. By Karen Lou Deloso-PIO | Photos by Mark Oliver Alvite
