Tourism efforts drum up Asturias economy

CEBU, Philippines —  The municipality of Asturias in the western part of Cebu is slowly drawing visitors drumming up economic activities in the town.

In an interview with Asturias Mayor Antonio Pintor over the weekend, he said that the proximity of the town from Cebu City, which is only one-and-a-half hour drive via the Transcentral Highway, makes Asturias one of the favorite countryside destinations among Cebuanos.

He said resorts and restaurants are opening with careful implementation of health protocol to assure health safety among local tourists.

Earlier, the Mayor announced its aggressive stance to make tourism as one of its economic drivers under the new normal environment.

Aside from showcasing its rich marine resources for tourists to experience, the town Mayor vowed to develop more eco-tourism destinations within municipality.

While, Asturias has not been famous as tourism destination map in Cebu, it is rich in nature-based destinations that the town can capitalize on.

Asturias is the home of the biggest lake in Cebu that transcends two barangays called Buswang Lake in Barangay Bago and Sta. Rita.

At present, the local government has installed boardwalks in the area with plans to setup ziplines and other outdoor activities to attract adventurous tourists.

  Likewise, the town also boasts of its fish cages, good road infrastructure for mountain sight-seeing adventure, as well as off-road expeditions to satisfy the market’s growing interest to immerse in back-to-basic, no frills trip which highlight raw and rural lifestyle and actual farming scenes.

Asturias is also blessed with caves and natural springs including a hot spring in Barangay San Roque.

Pintor said they will develop these attractions because the town sees big potential in driving economic activities within the locality.

  “We would also hopefully see more private sectors here investing in resorts,” the Mayor added.

The Asturias Farms, which operates huge swine farm in the town as well as a modern slaughterhouse has already expressed interest in investing in a resort-type facility, he added.

Asturias is a third-class coastal municipality located in the northwestern part of Cebu province.