ISLAND PRESERVATION. Tourists in the famous Gigantes Island in Carles, Iloilo are urged to report erring tour operators and tourism establishments in the area. Carles Mayor Seigfredo Betita, in an interview Monday (Sept. 16, 2019, sought the help of the province and the region to protect and preserve the tourism site. (File photo)
ILOILO CITY -- Tourists visiting the famous Gigantes Island in the northern Iloilo town of Carles have been urged to report unregulated tourist operators and opportunistic resort owners.
Carles Mayor Seigfredo Betita, in a phone interview Monday, said he had received negative feedback on tour operators and some resorts in the tourist destination.
He said the local government unit, through its municipal tourism office, had already set up tourist assistance booths to respond to the queries and other needs of the visitors.
“One of the problems there is transportation. There are people approaching tourists and offering a ride,” he said.
Betita said they have already barred fixers and unaccredited tour operators in Gigantes Island and in Bancal port, which is the jump-off point from the mainland to the island.
“We disallowed unaccredited tour operators there but there are some opportunistic people (who) want to create money. They (tourists) should not entertain fixers. They should go to the booth and inquire,” he said.
It also reached the mayor that some resort and business owners in Gigantes Island set overpriced fees on services.
He said he would schedule a meeting with these owners to discuss the matter.
“I always tell them that if you want repeat customers, you should look for ways to make them come back. The customer will choose you if you are responsive to their needs. Without them, your business will not exist,” he said.
He said tourists can also drop their complaints at complaints sections and suggestion boxes provided by the local government units.
The concern on unregulated fixers and erring resort owners has already come to the knowledge of the Department of Tourism (DOT) 6 (Western Visayas).
Lawyer Helen Catalbas, DOT-6 director, in an interview last week, recommended a three-month closure of the tourism site.
She said she already recommended the same during a meeting with former Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. before the May elections.
"If the people of Carles and Gigantes want to save and put order to the island, I recommended a three-month temporary closure. If the place is not well taken care of, it (would be) worse than Boracay Island," she said.
Catalbas said she already advised the tourism promotions board to tone down the marketing of the island.
Aside from unregulated tour operators and erring business establishments, Catalbas said the island also faced a problem with waste management.
Betita, meanwhile, said they have already established material recovery facilities in the island, and have made efforts on waste management programs.
He said he was also open to DOT-6's help and thus backed the recommended temporary closure of Gigantes Island. “We need help also of the region and the province,” he said.
He added the island is open to DOT representatives who can point out things that need improvement.
“I am not objecting to the closure. It is good that we temporarily close Gigantes for the resort owners to also know what is wrong and we can change their mindset. The closure is good for the tourism industry,” he added.
The local government of Carles has ordered a one-month closure of the Tangke saltwater lagoon, the number one tourist attraction in Gigantes Island.
The closure from September 1 to 30 aims to rehabilitate the lagoon, Betita said. (PNA)
