CLARK FREEPORT—Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Jonathan Tan has expressed confidence in the Subic tourism industry’s full recovery.
Tan's statement came after President Ferdinand Marcos lifted the public health emergency in the country through Presidential Proclamation No. 297 effective July 21, 2023.
“This encouraging development provides us with an optimistic outlook of the travel and tourism industry in the country,” Tan said.
Tan was guest speaker at the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) 2023 Luzon Cluster Regional Consultative Forum, where he addressed some 200 members, tourism stakeholders and guests.
In his speech, Tan disclosed that there was 99 percent tourist arrivals in 2022, which is relatively higher than 89 percent in 2019.
As of June 2023, SBMA recorded 5.15 million visitor arrivals, an additional 436,000 have been recorded.
Tan added that the goal is to improve the investment climate to attract more investors, increase revenue and general more resilient jobs for the residents.
Among the major development plans that will complement and drive the growth of the local tourism are the establishment of public e-vehicle transportations, construction of the corporate center, adoption of a smart city, and sustainability guidelines for the agency and the business locators.
Tan also said bared other plans to revitalize the recovery and profitability of business operations in Subic Bay Freeport --- holding of the Central Luzon Sustainable Tourism Summit on September 2023; revival of cruise tourism by the first quarter of 2024 with the maiden arrival of Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas, as well as the maiden arrival the MSC’s Splendida; economic cooperation on Halal industry to make Subic Bay a Muslim-friendly destination; and rebranding of Subic Bay to align with goals and appeal to new customer segments.