CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte – The tourism industry of Ilocos Norte is expected to receive a boost once the newly upgraded Currimao seaport here opens anew for international cruise ships.
Provincial tourism operations officer Xavier Ruiz said they are hoping that by the time coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is mitigated and controlled, the cruise industry can “spring back” to help the tourism sector recover from the adverse impact of the pandemic.
He said that before the pandemic, the Currimao seaport in this northern gateway of Luzon has become more popular as a new port of call in the country for the cruise industry.
“One of the biggest industries in Ilocos Norte is the tourism sector. It employs up to 10,000 people, if we include direct and indirect jobs. The loss of the cruise lines docking in Ilocos Norte also made a great impact on the tourism industry,” he said in a recent interview with the Manila Bulletin.
Ruiz said the Executive Order No. 52-20 signed by Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc last year is still in effect to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the province.
“As of now, the only access that visitors have to Ilocos Norte is by land or through the air via the Laoag International Airport. Unfortunately, there have been no updates yet of our port to cruise lines” he said.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) started to expand the pier sometime in 2017 and was completed in August 2019.
Ruiz said that amid the pandemic, there are on-going road projects to improve access to the seaport and the improvement of passenger terminals at the port.