MikeLigalig.com

By JUNE S. BLANCO
 
Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado eyes the setting up in Bohol before the yearend a Bureau of Customs (BOC) office here to see to the needs of South Korean tourists who will be planing in by Airbus 319 or 320 chartered flights starting December.

The BOC became Aumentado’s pipeline project after the Philippine Airlines (PAL) General Sales Agent in Korea Kwak Jeong Kyu brought a 19-man team to Bohol for a tete-a-tete with the governor on mass tourism plans. Kwak heads Saehon Air Travel Co., Ltd.

The team included owners or operators of 14 tour companies from South Korea most of whom had to speak through an interpreter, and reporters of a Korean-based international newspaper as well as of the daily national newspaper Pusan News on a three-day familiarization tour in Bohol.

“With the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation [BID] already in place Tagbilaran City, what Bohol lacks now is a [Bureau of] Customs office to see to the needs of tourists when Tagbilaran City becomes their point of entry to the country,” Aumentado observed.

He assured Kwak that the 1.8-kilometer Tagbilaran runway now accommodates the Airbus 319 of the flagship carrier Philippine Airlines as well as of the Cebu Pacific. The South Korean chartered flights will take off either from Pusan or Inchon direct to Tagbilaran hence the need for a BOC office.

Asked if the runway can accommodate evening landings, the governor said the airport already has runway lights. It is but a matter of inspecting them to ensure against snafus as the two airlines and smaller chartered planes have so far used it only during the day.

Kim Suniu of First Club who organized the familiarization tour gave words of welcome during dinner at the Soledad Suites along J.R. Borja Street in Tagbilaran City . Kwak introduced the guests while Robert Shin of Worldwide Resort acted as interpreter.

The tour operators asked about accommodations. On top of the existing ones in Tagbilaran and Panglao that Aumentado through the Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) has been encouraging to expand, new key players have signified to him their interest in establishing branches here of such chain of hotels as the Boracay Regency, Bellevue and Rafols. The latter is partly owned by a Saudi Arabian prince now negotiating to acquire the Bohol Beach Club or part of it from lawyer Anos Fonacier, the father of Bohol ’s tourism.
“In fact, these hotel chains have acquired lots in Panglao Island for their guests to also enjoy Bohol ’s white sand beaches,” the governor said.

Asked if golf courses are available, Aumentado said Rafols and Regency have included this in their development plans. Another investor has expressed interest in establishing one in the Chocolate Hills – making the perfect cone-shaped mounds part of the natural obstacles to make the games more challenging and exciting, he added.

The Koreans also “felt at home” on knowing that Hanjin Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd. constructed the Bohol Irrigation Project Stages 1 and 2, part of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project Phases 1 and 2 and is eyed for the construction of the runway of the Panglao Bohol International Airport Development Project.

“Bidding will be in the 1st quarter of next year. Two contractors will simultaneously work on the runway and facilities as well as the terminal building and facilities in order to meet the April 10, 2010 deadline set by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” he said.

“We are now in the thick of acquiring the lots where the runway will be built,” he added.
Aside from Kwak, Kim and Shin, other members of the team are Kim Jingyu of PR-2, Park Woosuk of Forcus Tour, Park Yongsun and Lee Chulho of Donghwa Tour, Park Woodie of Colorful Tour, Park Misung of Iris Tour, Kwak Mikyung of Newpusan Tour, Kim Malsuk of Munsu-1, Yun Hyunju of Incourse Tour,
Yun Janghun and Kim Kinam of SSADA.COM, Hyun Sangyong of KBA-1 and Choi Jongmin of KBS-2.

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