ALAMINOS CITY—Tourism takes a big boom here as the city mayor reported a 70 percent increase of tourist arrivals in the world-famous Hundred Islands National Park (HINP).

Mayor Hernani Braganza told local reporters that 30 percent of the increase was contributed by foreign tourists and 40 percent by local tourists.

He said that their target tourist arrival this year is 250,000 which is a jump by 150 percent from their last year’s aim.

The entrance fee in going to the islands is pegged at P20 per person, the cheapest in the entire country, Braganza said.

In 2004, they earned P94,000 from ticket sales.

The management, control and operation of the HINP was turned over by the Philippine Tourism Authority last year to the city government after 65 long years.

This national park covers a land area of 1,884 hectares with actually 123 islands scattered like emeralds in the deep blue waters off Lingayen Gulf, three of which have been developed for tourists, namely, Governor, Quezon and Children's Islands.

From Lucap, one takes a boatride to any of these islands.
The city which is now celebrating its city fiesta this week and Braganza said this year’s affair is dedicated to all Alaminians not only based abroad who came home but also to all cityfolks who are now living outside the city within the Philippines, thus it is called the 2006 Global Homecoming.

He said he is asking their assistance in different aspects like promoting the city wherever they are now and through direct investments in the city like putting up buildings and commercial establishments. He said he is also asking them to donate certain equipment that the city needs and a lot of them have been responding positively.

Any investment that will increase tourist arrivals like putting up of villages will further boost the city economy, he said.

Regarding their priority need, as far as tourism is concerned, Braganza said they need additional rooms. He said their estimate is they need at least 500 rooms at two beds each at the minimum where tourists can sleep on overnight.

Right now there are 200 rooms available for tourists and the city is eyeing 700 rooms, he said.

He said this vision is possible and realizable.

The city has several investment areas for tourism like barangays Victoria, Telbang, Pandan which are all fronting the sea and in Lucap and Baley ya Daan.

The proposed airstrip to be built in barangay Quiboar here is still undergoing technical study. Braganza said technically according to the initial report, it is viable but commercially, it will encounter difficulty.

The city is now preparing for the peak season of the HINP this summer as they will note another tremendous tourist influx.

Every lean month, they have about 5,000 tourist arrivals and in February, they registered 6,400 tourists.

Meanwhile, Braganza said three-fourths of their target income from business tax for the whole year has already been reached this quarter alone.