Where is destination tour town?

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

GUMASA, Sarangani (April 25, 2014) – The local government of Glan launched its tagline “Destination Tour Town Glan” during the kick-off program of Mahin Festival Friday (April 25) that also signaled the beginning of summer fun in Sarangani.

According to municipal tourism officer Lodar Escobillo, the tagline summarizes the town’s potentials as well as the natural beauty and the cultural heritage that would make a good package for a tourism destination.

Consider these.

Glan is the oldest town in the region. It will celebrate its 100^th foundation anniversary on October 8.

Glan has century-old Hispanic houses in the poblacion.

Glan boasts of a peaceful community of Blaans, Muslims, Cebuanos and a mix of other tribes in-between.

Glan is home to “bahalina”, the so-called “poor man’s wine” from coconut. No wonder, Glan is also called the coco queen for being the top copra producer in the region.

Most of all, Glan is the only town in Sarangani that has long stretches of solitary white sand shores.

That’s why Glan hosts every month of May the Sarangani Bay Festival, the biggest beach party in Southern Philippines.

Currently, Escobillo said, the local government is intensifying its efforts to really promote tourism as an economic booster of the municipality. “We are taking medium to big steps to really improve.”

Resorts along Gumasa have been hosting SarBay Fest every summer which is luring more and more tourists, both foreign and local.

SarBay Fest is set on May 16 and 17 and resort owners confirmed room reservations in the area were already fully-booked as of last year. Sarangani’s tourism office said only the tent city is left to accommodate tourists for the beach fest next month.

In 2013, SarBay Fest had 70,000 tourists.

This time, the celebration for the April 25-26 Mahin Festival highlights cultural activities and presentation by the town’s local performing artists. Other water sports activities, parties and concerts are expected to draw even more people as well.

Escobillo disclosed the local government is planning to partner with the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources in coming up with a tour circuit to incorporate in their advocacy environmental conservation as an added feature in promoting Glan as a tourism destination.

She said DENR regional office already expressed interest in partnering with them in their eco-tourism community-based project because of the abundant marine life of Sarangani Bay which the DENR said is home to endangered marine life.

Escobillo targets to launch the tour circuit in May and would involve all resorts along the coastal areas starting from barangay Kapatan to Batulaki in Glan. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)