CEBU CITY, Cebu, Oct. 8 (PIA) -- The province of Cebu will soon have its first ever Tourist Rest Area (TRA) after the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the Cebu provincial government held the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of TRAs in the municipalities of Carmen and Medellin today.
The ceremony on Oct. 8 was led by DOT Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid, Deputy Speaker and Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco, Carmen Mayor Carlo Villamor, and Medellin Mayor Joven Mondigo Jr.
The province’s first of a series of TRAs will be built in Brgy. Poblacion, Carmen and in Brgy. Poblacion, Medellin.
A signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) followed after the groundbreaking ceremony in the two local government units (LGUs).
The said MOA involves the tripartite arrangement in the establishment and maintenance of the TRAs.
It is also a cooperative endeavor between DOT, TIEZA, and the LGUs.
The TRA will emphasize the availability of hygienic facilities for tourists and travelers who will be visiting various tourist destinations.
It will feature a coffee shop, a pasalubong and souvenir shop, and a tourist information desk.
It will also have a charging station that can be used by tourists.
The TRA is one of Frasco's signature initiatives in line with DOT’s goal of giving tourists and travelers a comfortable and convenient overall tourist experience.
In her message, the DOT secretary highlighted the importance of establishing a TRA to enhance the general tourist experience in the country.
"The establishment of the Tourist Rest Area fulfills the objectives that we have set up in the DOT, including the improvement of the overall tourist experience. Our goal is to ensure that our tourists feel comfortable on their journey as they travel across the country," said Frasco.
"It is a very strategic place to put the TRA because it is right along the highway and Carmen is the middle point to the rest of our destinations," she added. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)
