The San Vicente paradise is about to rise in Palawan with a white beach whose length is three times longer than that of the shoreline of Boracay Island – and probably the longest in the world. For families that love vacationing in exotic getaways, or are thinking of building their vacation home, they can tick this off the list and head to the place first before it gets swarmed by numerous tourists as it will surely become popular worlwide.
Because of its coveted shoreline and pristine natural attractions of forests, islands and coves, San Vicente, Palawan has been identified by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority or TIEZA as its first flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone under the country’s National Tourism Development Plan.
The Department of Tourism and TIEZA have taken the first steps towards the implementation of the TEZ with a groundbreaking ceremony for a TIEZA Field Office in San Vicente.
According to TIEZA chief operating officer Guiller Asido, the TEZ benefits from its location at the convergence of transport networks. “The completion of Itabiak Road, which leads to the Long Beach area, makes it easier to reach the Tourism Enterprise Zone by land from other towns in Palawan,” he shares. “The pier at Barangay Poblacion is being upgraded, but another docking area will be constructed at the TEZ. The San Vicente Airport, once operational, will be the main entry point for most tourists and will make San Vicente a good weekend destination for Manila residents, since the flight is only one and a half hour from Manila,” he adds.
The TEZ is a flagship program that aims to develop the viable tourism potentials of a place, provide a master plan and turn the place into a sustainable tourism destination that can improve the marketing competitiveness of Philippine tourism products.
The TIEZA field office in San Vicente is expected for completion within the year – in time for the projected operationalization of the San Vicente airport by December 2016. According to Palawan governor Jose Chavez Alvarez, the TEZ will definitely help create employment and economic activities for the local communities of the province.
An Integrated Tourism Master Plan for San Vicente was formulated to study the variety of tourism products available in the area, taking into consideration property ownership and zonal values. “The ITMP is now complete, and we are in the process of crafting an Investment Promotions Program that will make the public-private partnership in San Vicente attractive to private investors,” shares DOT Undersecretary Maria Victoria Jasmin.
See related story to learn about the Master Plan of San Vicente Palawan: http://www.thestandard.com.ph/lifestyle/188792/master-plan-of-san-vicente-palawan.html