MikeLigalig.com

By Rey Anthony Chiu

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto admits there could be truth behind the reports that there is a slump in tourist arrivals in Bohol, but also assures that authorities are now looking into the problem and solutions are now worked out.

Speaking at the Forum on Local Government Officials on the promotion of Green Economic Development (ProGED) at the MetroCenter Hotel Thursday, Chatto told mayors that the Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) under Atty Lucas Nunag is now looking into reports that the decline in tourist count here is due to failure of hotels and accommodation establishments to properly report their occupancy status.

The governor did not however share how the PTC plans to generate the exact figures and which steps have been introduced to remedy the problem of non-reporting.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is using the reported data in its regional tourism profiles which it compares with other areas in the country.

Tourism statisticians have shared a common problem of hesitation among resort and accommodation establishments to make daily occupancy reports for fear of taxation. This could also be true to Bohol, they said.

Then putting up a day tour package cognizant of its lack of overnight accommodations, Bohol now boasts of a little over 2,000 rooms, most of them fully booked and unavailable for walk-in tourists.

Years ago, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Bohol Provincial Government trained tourism officers on data generation of tourist arrivals and occupancy in the towns of Bohol, but Bohol Tourism Office sources said very few towns are submitting reports.

BTO Josephine Cabarrus, in a meeting once said BTO is implementing an incentive system for hotels and accommodation establishments who are submitting regular occupancy reports.

These establishments get free promotions in information collaterals which the office produces, she said.

On the other hand, the governor also presumed that the decreased arrivals could also be ascribed to the Civil Aeronautics Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) policy of lessening inbound flights to Tagbilaran due to the risks posed by a severely congested City airport.

CAAP used to allow two planes on the city tarmac, one on its pre-flight status while the other one parked on the small space at the runway. This has been changed.

This policy, and the lean months also forced airplane companies to cut few their trips to and from Bohol, which could drastically affect the tourist count.

Over this, the governor said there is now a proposal for the DOTC to scout for a temporary apron for parked planes at the city airport. The present parking area is accordingly considered.

Recently however, in a meeting with airport authorities, Chatto said they have found an area which can be rented out for temporary parking apron in a vacant lot midway through the airstrip.

This development also has been reported by the DOTC through Undersecretary Catherine Jennifer Francis Gonzales during the Tourism Congress Philippines Consultative Forum at the Bellevue Panglao last Friday.

We have identified parcels of land for the Tagbilaran City apron and the DOTC will now work out the detailed engineering of the project, Usec Gonzales said.

Chatto also said this will be temporarily set up while Boholanos await for the completion of the mulled Pangalo airport.

With the development, Chatto hopes that the CAAP would again green light the return of the flights bringing back the tourists which the province solely missed.

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