Kabayan pursues tourism with new tagline

September 2, 2019 Provincial

Strengthening the tourism industry to push economic gains and spur development will be Kabayan, Benguet’s focus with the recent launching of its new tagline “Onward Mystical Kabayan.”

The municipal council, through a resolution dated July 8, adopted the tagline which shall be used by local government unit’s different offices in documents and reports “for identity and uniformity.”

Town mayor Faustino Aquisan on Tuesday said establishing programs and projects that will cater to an increasing tourism growth will take priority in the present administration.

Aquisan said sustaining responsible tourism will generate more jobs and income opportunities for residents, improving the socioeconomic condition of the municipality.

“We want each of our visitors to have a mystical experience every time they visit Kabayan. Even if they come back multiple times,” the town helm said.

Kabayan is home to Mount Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon, which is the town’s main tourism attraction aside from its four mountain lakes and mummy caves.

Aquisan said they are working towards enhancing existing tourism sites and opening new ones as well as improve tourism-related activities to place Kabayan among the major tourism destinations in the country.

The mayor said he will also revive culture-related tourism events and activities he previously initiated with renewed linkages to government agencies such as the departments of Tourism, and Environment and Natural Resources. Aquisan was town mayor from 2007 to 2016.

“We have a rich and colorful culture and heritage as indigenous people which still remain intact. That alone makes Kabayan mystical,” Aquisan said.

The town is hoping to pass its harmonized Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Forest Land Use Plan this September to settle the issues on land use and management with residents especially inside Mt. Pulag National Park.

Conserving the town’s environment is key to sustaining the town’s tourism industry, he added. Aquisan bared that he recently visited different agencies in Manila to request for an ambulance and a firetruck to aid in the swift delivery of services.

Karlston Lapniten/ABN