PANGASINAN SOUGHT AS ‘TOURISM MECCA’ OF THE NORTH

April 12, 2025 Provincial

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan

Gov. Ramon V. Guico III is affirming his dream to make Pangasinan the next ‘tourism mecca’ of the North. The significant increase in day visitors in 2024 in Pangasinan is fueling this dream, he said, although, overnight tourist arrivals have remained the same compared to 2023. The governor is upbeat as the tourism sector is a promising industry due to the infrastructures introduced by the provincial government to support efforts. The Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) reported that Pangasinan recorded a total of
8,685,980 day tourists in 2024, which is a huge hike from the 5,597,867 tourists in 2022.

This surge in-day visitors is attributed to Pangasinan’s growing popularity as a weekend getaway destination, prompting Gov. Guico III’s
optimism that with more accommodation facilities, the province can attract a substantial number of tourists. The PTCAO noted that the peak season for tourism in Pangasinan remains from March to May, coinciding with the summer months and the various town fiestas and provincial events, including Pista’y Dayat festival, the province’s grandest festival. Said trend was evident in 2024, with both overnight and day visitor arrivals peaking during this period.

Other efforts by the provincial government to boost tourism include the establishment of the 11-storey Government Center and Tower as well as the 1,500-seater Convention Center, both located within the Capitol Complex which broke ground recently. The provincial government hopes to make Pangasinan as a venue of national and maybe even international conventions. In addition, the on-going construction of the Reflecting Pool and Interactive Fountain at the provincial capitol in Lingayen is another historic landmark project of Guico III who has set his sights in making Pangasinan a destination of choice in the coming years.

Pangasinan has already linked with the department of Tourism and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for the groundbreaking and construction of the Pangasinan Tourism Rest Area located at the Capitol beach front also in Lingayen. The Banaan Pangasinan Provincial Museum, another legacy project of Guico III has become an integral part of tourism development in the province, as it welcomed 8,320 visitors in 2024, where the largest attendance were visitors within Pangasinan.

The Museum also attracted a diverse international audience including visitors from the USA, Denmark, Korea, Indonesia and many other countries, further establishing its importance as a cultural landmark. In coordination with local government units throughout Pangasinan, the provincial government through the PTCAO actively promotes the province’s tourism attractions by highlighting local tourism products, ensuring a safe and peaceful environment, implementing a reporting system to monitor tourism data, providing an accessible banking system, improving accommodation availability, and enhancing Wi-Fi access.

With the battlecry ‘Pangasinan, Ang Galing!, Guico III earlier primed, “we are laying the foundation and planting the seeds for the near future and for the far future. So, I think this administration will make it smart as the builder of the excellent and new Pangasinan. That’s what we want to happen.” Capitalizing on the growing popularity of Pangasinan as a travel destination, the province continues to offer unique natural beauty and experiences that attract both local and international tourists. As such, Pangasinan is well-positioned to continue its growth as a leading tourism destination in the Philippines as Guico III envisioned. “We are laying the foundation and planting the seeds for the near future and for the far future. So, I think this administration will make it smart as the builder of the excellent and new Pangasinan. That’s what we want to happen,” Guico reiterated.

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN