The Palawan Provincial Government, through the initiative of Board Member Ariston Arzaga, aims to build tourist service areas in the province’s top destinations.
This came after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Palawan approved his recent resolution requesting the Department of Tourism (DOT) to construct more Tourist Rest Areas (TRA) days after the groundbreaking ceremony of the Roxas TRA was attended by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco.
Arzaga’s resolution was approved in the first and final reading during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Tuesday, February 21.
Arzaga said that the provincial government shall continue to focus on and improve its tourism sector.
“Our challenge: improving competitiveness, especially as it relates to tourism, requires a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach, thus, we proposed the establishment of additional TRAs in the top and most visited destinations in the province of Palawan to provide seamless travel and convenience,” Arzaga said.
On Friday, February 17, a groundbreaking and MOA signing ceremony for the first TRA in Palawan was conducted in Barangay San Nicolas, Roxas town.
The Roxas TRA includes an information center, a “pasalubong” center for small and medium enterprises, clean restrooms, charging stations, and automated teller machines (ATMs).
The TRA in Roxas will serve as a convergence point that could be approached by foreign and local travelers to get information on tourism sites and attractions, activities, and accommodations; report concerns related to safety and security; and gain access to other provisions necessary during their stay at a destination.
Coined as the country’s last ecological frontier, Palawan has been awarded numerous global awards in tourism for years. The province has also been recognized by top global tourism magazines such as Conde Nast Traveler and the United Kingdom’s Wanderlust Travel.