More fast-crafts needed to bring 

Boracay-bound tourists to Bohol 

TAGBILARAN CITY, April 19 (PIA)—The fastcraft shipping industry servicing the Cebu-Tagbilaran-Cebu route is in need of Boholano investors to be able to cash in on the influx of tourists who find Boracay closed for them. 

This fairly sums up the pronouncements of Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Port of Tagbilaran Manager Engr. James Gantalao, during a meeting with national media and bloggers brought in by AirAsia Philippines to Bohol. 

At the meeting held at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the PPA in Tagbilaran, AirAsia Philippine Chief Executive Officer Captain Dexter Comendador revealed that the moment the government leaked the plan to close Boracay for six months to allow the top tourism destination to recuperate and recover from abusive environmental practices, they were thinking of diverting their flights to Bohol. 

The shutting down of Boracay impacts largely upon the Chinese tourists who are culturally inclined to travel in May, to keep their luck coming, Comendador added. 

This is a huge market and we proposed to send them to Bohol instead, the flying CEO bared. 

But, with Tagbilaran City Airport among the smallest airports in the country, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has implemented a one-plane on the tarmac policy in compliance with safety regulations. 

This move drastically reduced the number of flights that Tagbilaran Airport, Bohol’s air gateway could serve no more flights other than that which is served at present. 

That means, even with the strong intent, AirAsia could not simply add more flights to the already dedicated slots in Tagbilaran. 

This then pushed AirAsia to fly their passengers instead to Cebu and Davao. 

With the Cebu tourists however, the 23 fastcraft trips to Tagbilaran daily may not be enough to serve the influx. 

But, according to Engr. Gantalao, the fastcraft berthing area at the port can accommodate four vessels at a time, while only two fast craft companies are plying the route at almost the same time. 

Additional fast craft trips are still welcome, the port manager who has led the PPA into allowing the port to stand up after the devastating challenge of the earthquake in 2013 revealed. 

At present, the port of Tagbilaran serves about 5,000 to 6,000 passengers daily, and any additional trips would also increase the PPA responsibilities, but the government corporation is good with that. 

We can still accept at least two more fast craft companies who can put up their service, he hinted. 

Even then, Captain Comendador added that at present, the low fare airline company added they are arranging with tour and travel agencies and companies to set up a seamless airport to port shuttle service so that their air passengers could be presented an option to go to Bohol instead. 

The government through the Regional Development Council is also looking at the problem of the lack of travel connectivity from Mactan to the ports of Cebu, to assure seamless and hassle-less transfers. 

Bohol needs to take on this opportunity as the closing of Boracay gets the tourism island a lead time of at least a year to cash in on the Boracay-bound tourists, Capt Comendador urged. 

It could have been an entirely different story, had Panglao airport been operational at present, AirAsia top official said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

PPA Manager Engr James Gantalao assures AirAsia that the Ports of Bohol is still open and would keep up to the challenge posed by the opening of the modern airport in Panglao. fastcraft berthing stations at the port, he said, can accommodate 4 vessels at the same time that it can serve twice the 23 trips Bohol now has to Cebu. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)