Culture + Adventure = Mindanao

By Jacky Lynne A. Oiga

March 13, 2011, 2:14am

Skim boarding in Dahican beach, Davao Oriental (photo by VINCE G. LOPEZ)

 MANILA, Philippines – For what it’s worth, Mindanao probably has the most beautiful places in the Philippines – a beauty shrouded with so much discrimination and fear.    

Blessed with rich-biodiversity, exotic wilderness, and rousing cultural heritage, Mindanao has all the makings of a world-class destination. But the long-standing travel advisories restricting foreign visitors to take so much of a peep to this island region has discouraged even some Filipinos to travel down south.

Recently, though, several tourism-related promotions have stirred up enough awareness to attract domestic  tourists and foreign visitors to visit to some provinces of Mindanao. Culture and adventure are the vital pegs for the  tourism pitch in the region and these aspects will be the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) main thrust to increase tourist traffic to the area.

With the country’s participation in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA, DoT is optimistic to promote Mindanao not only for tourism, but also for tourism investments.

“DoT is currently seeking direct flights to Davao from its BIMP-EAGA neighbors and is eyeing Zamboanga for greater sea access from the aforementioned countries,” said DoT Undersecretary for Tourism Regulation, Coordination and Resource Generation, Ma. Victoria V. Jasmin.

The tourism department is also looking into agricultural tourism and ecotourism as supplementary products in Mindanao,  particularly in Bukidnon. Known for its vast pineapple plantations, Bukidnon may also benefit from spill-over tourism form the MICE destinations of Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

Security issues, however, is still a big concern for tourism in any country. For this matter,  Jasmin reiterated that except for a few isolated areas, peace and order in Mindanao is intact and ready for tourism.

On the other hand, the tourism development project, ‘Biyahe Ta Mindano’ (Let’s Travel to Mindanao) aims to encourage Mindanaons to explore the potential tourism hubs in their own island and later become promoters of these destinations to the rest of the country and the world.

Initial coverage of the campaign promotes the provinces of Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Oroquieta, Ozamis and Dapitan. Key destinations include Seagull Valley in Budda, Bukidnon with its overwhelming scenery and freezing weather; Gloria’s Fantasyland, the so-called Disneyland of the Philippines, and the historical place of Jose Rizal’s exile in Dapitan City.

Source: Manila Bulletin