More sites are being pitched for this year’s cruise tourism with the increasing interests of cruise ships to make ports of call in destinations in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Tuesday.
DOT-Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that half of the destinations of Australian cruise ship Coral Geographer in the country will be in Eastern Visayas.
The expedition cruise ship with 250 passengers from Australia and New Zealand will make stops in Biri Rock Formations in Biri town and Lalaguna Mangrove in Lavezares in Northern Samar; Sambawan Island in Maripipi, Biliran; and Cuatro Islas in Leyte.
Tentatively included are Cagnituan Cave and Guinsohotan Falls in Maasin City, Southern Leyte.
Lavezares town and Maasin City are the two new destinations for cruise tourism.
“The visit of cruise ships here in the past has raised the interest of other cruise companies and cruise tourists about the activities in the region,” Tiopes said during the “Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas” press briefing on Tuesday.
She said they prefer expedition cruises with only hundreds of guests unlike carnival cruises with thousands of guests since they have “less footprints.”
“We want to include more destinations in the future. We make a pitch for some areas in Samar province, Pacific coast of Northern Samar, and Higatangan Island in Biliran. We hope that our Manila-based cruise tour operators will include these sites in future international cruise fairs,” she said.
The coming of cruise ships is a result of promotion by tour operators in the country, she added.
The visit of cruise tourism in Eastern Visayas is also expected to spark the interest of local tourists to visit these destinations.
“So, it ignites domestic tourism as well. It gives interest among domestic tourists, it creates a positive impact at the local level,” Tiopes said.
Cruise tourism started in Eastern Visayas in 2013 with one cruise ship that made a stop in Kalanggaman Island, the prime tourist destination in Leyte province. (PNA)