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Record number of visitors seen at Flower Festival in Baguio

Written by Administrator Wednesday, 04 February 2009 00:34

BAGUIO CITY – Tourism industry leaders here foresee record number of visitors for this year’s Flower Festival locally called "Panagbenga," thanks to the full operation of the 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) which has dramatically reduced travel time from Metro Manila to this mountain resort city.

Anthony de Leon, chairman of the Panagbenga executive committee, said the SCTEX "has already worked wonders for the local tourism industry" because of the improved access it provides from Metro Manila and Central Luzon to the northern regions.

Tourism industry leaders credited the government-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), builder and operator of the SCTEX, for introducing a new era of convenient and speedy travel to the north.

Faster and easier travel attracted an unusually large number of tourists to Baguio City during the holidays, resulting in full bookings for all hotels and lodging houses. Many visitors opted to pitch camps at the sprawling Burnham Park than take their chances at the hotels.

The usual six-hour travel time between Baguio and Metro Manila has been cut by about two hours, giving the motorists more time to enjoy the scenery along the way and savor local delicacies being served by roadside eateries.

De Leon, who is the president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Baguio (HRAB) and chairman of the Baguio Tourism Council, also cited the expansion of the San Fernando airport in nearby La Union, saying it provided an alternative for the high-end tourists to reach Baguio City in a short time.

The month-long Panagbenga kicked off last Feb. 1 with a street-dancing parade featuring contingents from elementary and secondary schools in the city and visiting groups.

Other activities include a fluvial parade and a concert at the man-made lake in historic Burnham Park on Valentine’s Day.

During the week-long "Session Road in Bloom," the city’s main thoroughfare will be closed to vehicular traffic to give way to sidewalk cafes and a promenade area for tourists and residents.

The market encounter and landscaping contest will be held at Burnham Park from Feb.1 to March 8, to allow the tourists and residents to witness world-class floral arrangements on display by noted landscapers in the country.