By Jonas Reyes
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Wilma T. Eisma planning to include tourist destinations in Pampanga to the itinerary of cruise ship passengers visiting this premier Freeport.
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Photo Credit: subicnewslink.blogspot.com
During a press briefing at the Park Inn by Radisson Clark on Tuesday, Eisma bared the plans to fully utilize the province of Pampanga in terms of tourist destinations amid the rising number of cruise ships visiting the Freeport.
“That is what the SBMA was planning all along, to develop the Subic Bay Freeport into a premier cruise ship destination in the Philippines, and hence the gateway to other tourism destinations in the region,” Eisma said.
“SBMA has already sent busloads of cruise ship passengers to areas in Pampanga, especially in SM Clark. Pampanga, known for its delicacies, is certainly a gold mine when it comes to food tourism,” Eisma said.
Eisma also bared that a 5,000 passenger ship operated by Royal Caribbean has scheduled a visit to Subic Bay Freeport.
Eisma said that usual areas visited by cruise ship passengers such as the Subic Bay Freeport, Las Casas De Acuzar in Bataan, and attractions in Zambales may have encounter difficulties accommodating the large volume of visitors.
SM Clark Public Relations Manager Venus Manalang said that the mall is willing to support the plans of the SBMA in its cruise ship endeavors.
“If SM Olongapo City branch opens their doors earlier than the scheduled work hours, the SM Clark branch will also find ways to pique the interests of cruise ship passengers who will visit our branch,” Manalang said.
Seventeen cruise ships have so far docked at the Freeport, and generated some P85 million in revenues.
Source: news.mb.com.ph
