TAGAYTAY CITY, Cavite (PIA) — The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Calabarzon plans to intensify the promotion and development of faith tourism to cater Catholic pilgrims that will visit the region this Lenten season.
DOT Calabarzon Regional Director Marites Castro shared that they are working on improving pilgrimage tourism in the region.
This initiative aims to attract more people to visit various Catholic churches and historical sites in Calabarzon, especially during Lenten season where Filipinos often take time to observe religious and cultural traditions.
“We really want to intensify our pilgrimage tourism, or faith tourism, which is why we are coordinating with local tourism officers and the churches to create local tour packages that include the churches,” Castro said during an open forum with local media on the weekly Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas.
Castro mentioned that DOT Calabarzon is providing ongoing training for tourism workers as well as with churches to offer guidance.
She added, “We also introduced the Virgenes Coronadas de Calabarzon with the aim of attracting more visitors. This initiative is coordinated with the churches to give people the opportunity to see the original religious images, which are not often seen by many.”
For this year’s Holy Week, Batangas Province will offer a pilgrimage tour to the public. To further encourage people to join the tour, the Tourism department has coordinated with tour operators to maximize the promotion of visiting churches for Visita Iglesia.
“This coming Holy Week, in Batangas they already have a pilgrimage tour. So, with our proposal to the tour operators, we need to ensure that in one day, there are many places we can promote, and many churches to visit,” the director explained.
In addition to coordinating with local government units, tourism offices, and churches, DOT will also collaborate with other government agencies, including the Department of Health, Philippine National Police, and Office of Civil Defense, to ensure the safety and security of visitors to the region.
In anticipation of the influx of tourists, Castro added that they will seek the assistance of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in mobilizing local DRRM offices to ensure safety measures and preparedness plans are in place including traffic schemes.
Updates and tour recommendations will also be posted by DOT on their social media platforms to guide visitors during Holy Week, as well as for other summer destinations in Calabarzon. (CO, SI/PIA-4A)
