POTENTIAL income from environmental and vehicle congestion fees and new tourism enterprises were presented by Supervising Tourism Officer Engr. Aloysius Mapalo during last week’s executive management committee meeting at the city hall.
The presentation was from a directive from Mayor Benjamin Magalong to source funds for the city’s programs and projects.
According to Engr. Mapalo, the arrival of four million tourists per year would bring a maximum potential income of P400M from a one-time charge of P150 environmental fee per person for a five-day visit. The charge would be for tourists checking in at accommodation establishments, entry into parks, museums, galleries, and attractions; and participants of organized tours and tour packages. The same amount shall be charged to attendees of conventions and other events.
A P63M maximum potential collection from vehicle congestion fee is also expected with the assumption that 120,000 vehicles per year arrive in the city. This is with the proposed fee of P200 to P1,000 per vehicle per five-day visit, and the amount may also serve as a parking fee in public parking areas.
The one-time fee per entry shall be charged from private motor vehicles of visitors and tourists, provincial tourist transport vehicles not registered in the city, and regional public transport without authorized terminals in Baguio, Engr. Mapalo clarified.
New tourism enterprises such as the Department of Tourism (DOT) rest area are also expected to bring in a yearly income of P1.8M to the city coffers, with a return on investment in eight to 12 years.
The new Baguio Convention and Cultural Center (BCCC) complex, including the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) tree park, parking, shops and cafes, and the hostel, is also expected to bring in a maximum potential yearly income of P75.67M with a return of investment in 17 to 20 years.
The estimates are from feasibility studies conducted on the venues mentioned.
Other expected tourism enterprises are the Country Club, Happy Hallow, Atok Trail, Lucnab, Outlook, and Kias or the CHALOK Ecopark community. No expected income has been pegged as the enterprise has yet to undergo a feasibility study, Engr. Mapalo said.
The potential income studies were done with tourism arrival surveys and studies tied up with current sources of tourist expenditures, contribution to city taxes, accredited establishments’ occupancy and amusement taxes. – JGF
