LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Gov. Ramon V. Guico III remains steadfast in his goal to transform Pangasinan as the next ‘tourism mecca’ in the North in the next few years.
Gov. Guico is optimistic due to the significant increase in day visitors in 2024.
Although, overnight tourist arrivals have remained the same compared to 2023, the governor is upbeat as the tourism sector is a promising industry due to the infrastructures introduced by the provincial government to support efforts.
The Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) reported the province recorded a total of 8,685,980 day tourists in 2024, up from the 5,597,867 number of tourists in 2022.
This surge in day visitors is attributed to Pangasinan’s growing popularity as a weekend getaway destination.
That makes Gov. Guico optimistic saying that with more accommodation facilities, the province can attract a substantial number of tourists.
The PTCAO noted that the peak season for tourism in Pangasinan remains from March to May, coinciding with the summer months and the various town fiestas and provincial events, including, of course, the Pista’y Dayat.
Said trend was evident in 2024, with both overnight and day visitor arrivals peaking during this period.
Full Government Support
Other efforts done by the provincial government to support boost tourism include the establishment of the 11-storey Government Center and Tower as well as the 1,500-seater Convention Center which are both located within the Capitol Complex and broke ground recently.
These as the provincial government hopes to make Pangasinan as a venue of national and maybe even international conventions.
In addition, the on-going construction of the Reflecting Pool and Interactive Fountain is another historic landmark project of Gov. Guico who has set his sights in making Pangasinan truly the destination of choice in the coming years.
The province likewise inked partnership with the department of Tourism and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for the groundbreaking and construction of the Pangasinan Tourism Rest Area located at the Capitol beach front here.
The Banaan Pangasinan Provincial Museum, a legacy project of Gov. Guico, meanwhile, has become an integral part of tourism development in the province as it welcomed 8,320 visitors in 2024, the largest attendance came from visitors within Pangasinan.
The Museum also attracted a diverse international audience including visitors from the USA, Denmark, Korea, Indonesia and many other countries, further establishing its importance as a cultural landmark.
In coordination with local government units throughout Pangasinan, the provincial government through the PTCAO actively promotes the province’s tourism attractions by highlighting local tourism products, ensuring a safe and peaceful environment, implementing a reporting system to monitor tourism data, providing an accessible banking system, improving accommodation availability, and enhancing Wi-Fi access.
Pangasinan, Ang Galing!
With the battlecry ‘Pangasinan, Ang Galing!, the governor earlier stated, “we are laying the foundation and planting the seeds for the near future and for the far future. So, I think this administration will make it smart as the builder of the excellent and new Pangasinan. That’s what we want to happen.”
Capitalizing on the growing popularity of Pangasinan as a travel destination, the province continues to offer unique natural beauty and experiences that attract both local and international tourists.
As such, Pangasinan is well-positioned to continue its growth as a leading tourism destination in the Philippines as envisioned by Gov. Guico.
“We are laying the foundation and planting the seeds for the near future and for the far future. So, I think this administration will make it smart as the builder of the excellent and new Pangasinan. That’s what we want to happen,” he earlier stated. (Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO with report from Diane Sison, PSU intern)
