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PANGLAO
Island, Bohol (06 May 2007) - Tourism Secretary Joseph
Ace Durano has inaugurated the first phase of a P600
million upscale resort complex that is riding on the
tourism boom in this province.
"This is a clear, big investment that is testimonial
of the health of tourism in Bohol," Durano said,
referring to the 10-hectare Eskaya Beach Resort &
Spa, which is building 70 luxurious villas catering
to the rich Filipino tourists and visitors from Europe,
the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea.
Richard Lim, who is involved in salt production and
shipping, said some 300 construction workers are being
employed to finish the five-star project, that is expected
to employ at least 120 resort and restaurant employees
once completed.
Lim,
the incoming president of the Greenhills Rotary in San
Juan, said the first phase of the project, involving
P150 million investment, is expected to be completed
by July this year.
The project provides commanding views of the magnificent
Mindanao Sea and features exotic villas, infinity pools
and luxurious facilities.
He said this early, 15 villas are already available
for occuppancy, with overnight rates ranging from $300
to $2,100. Some of the villas have own private swimming
pools, whirlpool tub, outdoor spa, king-sized bed, spacious
bathroom with vanity, mini-bar, and Internet connection.
Until
recently, Panglao Island has stolen some of the glitters
of the world-famous Boracay Island. Located at the southwestern
tip of Bohol province, Panglao boasts of a long stretch
of white-sand beaches embracing crystal-clear and blue
waters.
Durano said the opening of the Panglao resort forms
part of the additional 3,000 hotel and resort rooms
that will be made available this year, to accommodate
the growing number of international visitors and domestic
tourists. International visitor arrivals peaked at 2.84
million last year and are expected to breach the 3-million
mark for the first time this year, he added.
This
idyllic island, one of the fastest growing destinations
for foreign and local tourists, has also caught the
attention of at least two international resort operators.
Durano said the Kingdom Hotel Investments which carries
the Raffles and the Four Seasons brands, are looking
at several properties in the island, lying about 370
kilometers south of Manila.
Another potential investor, Durano said, is the Singapore-based
Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's leading
luxury resort and spa operators, which has recently
found an island in Northern Palawan.
"A
lot of things are really happening in tourism. We just
need to sustain the demand. The private sector can do
a better job in supply," he said.
He said Bohol is fast rising as a prime tourist destination
for Japanese and Korean markets and will benefit from
the construction of the P3.6-billion circumferential
road and the proposed Panglao international airport.
Durano said the construction of the airport will start
in 2008, once the procurement of land is completed this
year. The project is seen to be finished by 2009.
"Bohol is becoming so popular that in Japan, Bohol
is now packaged as the prime destination, with Cebu
as the secondary," he said.
Saudi
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud has teamed up with
Ayala Land to invest $150 million for a resort project
in Bohol. The Saudi Prince is reportedly interested
in the property of the Fonacier family, which owns the
168-room Bohol Beach Club.
Nearly half a million tourists, including about 40,000
foreign guests, visited Bohol last year, and the Department
of Tourism expects this number to increase soon with
the construction of more resorts and completion of vital
infrastructure projects.
Executives of the nearby Bohol Beach Club, the largest
resort in Panglao, confirmed this, saying that more
than 80 percent of its 168 rooms were occupied.
Bohol Congressman Edgar Chato, who chairs the House
committee on tourism, said there are only 2,500 hotel
and resort rooms in Bohol at present, which are not
enough to accommodate the influx of visitors.
Fe
Ginete, sales and public relations manager of Tambuli
Resorts, which operates the Bohol Beach Club, confirmed
this, saying that Tambuli plans expansion projects for
its resorts in Bohol and Cebu in the coming months in
response to rising demand for accommodation in Central
Visayas.
Congressman Edgar Chato said a masterplan for Bohol
tourism is now being finalized, making it the first
and only province developing a system for the tourism
industry.
"Bohol is in the right place and the right time
for the industry," Chato said. "It is a province
worth investing in."
Aside from Panglao, other top attractions in Bohol include
the 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped Chocolate Hills, the
town of Corella which is home to endemic tarsiers, and
the diving spots near Cabilao and Balicasag islands.
Roderick T. dela Cruz
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