THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is eyeing more visitors to the Subic Bay Freeport from Taiwan with the recent launch of direct flights to Taipei from the neighboring Clark Freeport in Pampanga.
Wilma Eisma, SBMA chairman and administrator, welcomed here recently several Chinese Taipei bloggers, who visited various tourism attractions in Subic with the purpose of promoting them in Taiwan.
The visitors were accompanied by Marilou Pangilinan, Central Luzon tourism officer, who met them at the Clark International Airport with the first Taipei to Clark flight of AirAsia Philippines, which has just resumed international flights via the Clark hub.
Eisma said the SBMA, with the help of the Department of Tourism, is working to establish Subic as a destination for Taiwanese visitors, who are now the sixth biggest group of tourists in the country.
“Subic has been blessed with many tourist attractions, and we want to use every possible means to entice visitors to come and enjoy Subic,” Eisma said.
“Having these bloggers experiencing first-hand the beauty of our place and the hospitality of our people, is one giant step in conveying our invitation to the people of Taiwan,” she added.
The bloggers group started their tour at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, where they met with the SBMA tourism officials. Then they proceeded to the Zoobic Safari nature park, where they enjoyed a “close encounter’ activity with park tigers; and thence to the Ocean Adventure marine park, where they watched animal shows.
Following a sumptuous lunch at the Acea Subic Bay Resort, which is renowned for hosting international triathlon events, the group then went on a bay cruise organized by The Lighthouse Marina Resort marketing director Zed Avecilla. The yacht tour gave them a glimpse into Subic’s mangrove forest, Ilanin Bay, and the historic World War II fort at Grande Island.
Pangilinan said that Chinese Taipei tourists have often used Clark Airport as their entry point to the Philippines. And while the Taiwanese frequented destinations like Bohol, Palawan, Cebu and Benguet, they have little knowledge about Central Luzon’s tourist spots, she added.
Eisma expressed the hope that through the write-ups to be made by the visiting bloggers, Taiwanese tourists looking for new areas to visit would consider Subic Bay Freeport Zone as one of their stops during their stay in the country.
According to government figures, Taiwan is the sixth biggest source of tourists for the Philippines, with about 60,000 arrivals for the period January to March this year.
Records from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Manila, meanwhile, placed Filipino travelers to Taiwan at close to 300,000 in 2017. (Ric Sapnu )