MANILA, Philippines - Hotel and restaurant operators in Bohol are appealing to the Duterte government to realize the proposed construction of a P7.14-billion international airport in the province.
Bluewater Resorts general manager Rhyz Buac said the Association of Hotel Resorts and Restaurants is waiting for the government to fulfill a promise to construct an international airport on Panglao Island in order to bring in more tourists.
“We would ask our resort’s sales and marketing manager, Margie Munsayac, to appeal to Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo to fast-track the construction of the airport,” Buac said.
“This is a long overdue project. Two government administrations had passed, but still no airport had been constructed,” he added.
Buac said the plan was proposed during the term of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
He said when Arroyo announced the plan to build the Panglao-Bohol International Airport, a lot of investments poured into the province as investors believe in the potential of Bohol as an excellent eco-tourist destination.
The province’s economic potential, however has not been maximized as the existing Tagbilaran Airport can only accommodate six flights a day, limiting the number of tourist arrivals in Bohol.
It was reported in March that annual tourist arrival in Bohol was estimated to be at least 500,000.
Authorities expected the number to climb to 1.7 million once the new airport is constructed.