By Lailany P. Gomez | October 20, 2013
manilastandardtoday.com
The Philippine Ports Authority has
lined up several infrastructure projects to support the booming cruise tourism
in the country, its chief said Monday.
PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana said
the cruise port development would support the country’s status as one of the
major cruise destinations in Asia.
Star Cruises-owned Super Star Gemini
recently stopped at Pier 15 Super Terminal in South Harbor, Port Area, Manila
from its home port in Xiamen, China.
This was the first time the
Philippines was included in a major cruise package. The package included
regular stops in Boracay and Manila, Sta. Ana said.
“The Philippines welcomes this growing
interest in cruise tourism in various strategic locations in the country,” he
said.
Several cruise calls have been
recorded since March 2010, including a German cruise ship docking at the Iloilo
Port, MV Princess Danae, a Portuguese luxury cruise ship, in Davao Port, and
recently, the Royal Carribean’s Legend of the Seas which docked at the Port of
Puerto Princesa for the first time as part of the cruise ship’s seven-night
“Borneo Explorer Cruise.”
“In coordination and partnership with
the Department of Tourism and other government agencies, we identified eight
ports as tourism gateways aimed at developing international hubs for cruise
liners that include Davao, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, Metro Manila, Puerto Princesa,
Subic, and Zamboanga. These make up the nation’s major nautical cruise
arteries,” Sta. Ana said.
“In addition, we have lined up various
port development programs for the development of cruise terminals. These
include the Ports of Puerto Princesa, Currimao in Ilocos Norte and Catagbacan
in Bohol province,” he said.
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