Lack of accommodation facilities one reason why tourist arrivals in EV is low

TACLOBAN CITY – The lack of accommodation facilities is one of the reasons why tourist arrivals in the region is still way behind its neighboring islands of Cebu and Bohol.

Accommodation facilities, according to Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Cynthia Nierras, is among those being looked into by tourists when they visit a tourist destination or when they visit a place for a vacation.

“No matter how good our tourism sites are if there is not enough accommodation facility or we lack of tourism facility, they (tourist) will not come back,” Nierras said.

Aside from having an accommodation facility, Nierras stressed that services of those facilities must also be improved to encourage tourists to visit more often.

Leyte Governor Jericho “Icot” Petilla made the same sentiment with Nierras during the recent Provincial Development Council meeting of the province.

Petilla, talking with different local chief executives in the province, underscored the importance of having hotels and other accommodation facilities that will house tourists each time they visit the province.

Although there are lots of accommodation facilities available in Leyte, Petilla emphasized the needs of a hotel that can compete with first class hotels in other regions.

“We need to have a hotel that we can compare with other hotels in other regions,” said Petilla.

“And I am glad right now that the renovation of MacArthur Park is about to be finished and they will start its operation this December,” he added.

Petilla said that with the opening of the newly-renovated MacArthur Park Hotel, now called Leyte Oriental Hotel, would draw more tourists to the province.

Lack of accommodation facilities is also the problem of Guiuan, the tourism capital of Eastern Samar province, according to Mayor Annaliz Kwan.

Guiuan, famed with its white sand beaches, draws hundreds of tourists yearly, particularly during big events, reason why additional accommodation facilities is needed in said town, according to Kwan.

This problem is being addressed by one of the providers of accommodation facility, the Calicoan Surf Camp, where they purchased container vans and converted them into a room type structures equipped with air-conditioning units and amenities found in regular hotels.