LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—The Provincial Government of Pangasinan was awarded as Region 1’s Best Province in Local Tourism Planning.
Given last September 20 during the Region 1 Tourism Summit 2024 in San Fernando City, La Union, the award was received by Ms. Maria Luisa A. Elduayan, Head of Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO).
The award came in grateful recognition of the province’s outstanding work and dedication to local tourism planning as a pivotal partner of the tourism department’s thrust in advocating local tourism development in Region 1.
Since July 2022, Governor Ramon V. Guico III’s marching order has been to identify and institute various programs and projects that will contribute to the resurgence of local tourism in Pangasinan.
As an initial step, the See Pangasinan Listening Tours are conducted along with the mobile accreditation caravan, which paved the way for the increase in the number of tourism enterprises from 230 in 2021 to 355 in 2022 alone.
Also, the iconic Casa Real now houses the Banaan Pangasinan Provincial Museum, where the province’s rich heritage and diverse art and culture are being showcased. Currently, the museum serves as the depository of Pangasinan’s artistic, historical, and legacy.
As part of the tourism planning, the provincial government, through the PTCAO, intensified its efforts to make Pangasinan the province of choice for local and foreign visitors.
“The Provincial Administration through the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office strengthens our resolve toward the enhancement of participatory governance, especially in tourism. We play the role of an aggressive catalyst to permeate every nook and corner of the province to strengthen the tourism industry,” Gov. Guico earlier stated.
Encouraging corporate partnerships being the holistic approach to the resurgence of Pangasinan’s tourism, the governor engaged micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as’major drivers of the local economy.’
With the success of the Manila Fame and International Food Expo, which eventually signaled the green light to better opportunities for participating Pangasinan MSMEs, Gov. Guico sought the establishment of the Pangasinan Trade Center (PTC).
All these and more are expected to further boost the province’s plans and goals towards the realization of a different tourism strategy or perspective for Pangasinan.
(Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO, Photos: Pangasinan Tourism)
