The more than 150 hotels in Balanga City and others in Bataan are almost all booked next week in time for the staging of the\u00a0 Philippine International Balloon Festival in Prado Siongco, Lubao town, Pampanga.<\/p>\n
Gov. Albert S. Garcia of Bataan, who was recently interviewed, said the celebration of Bataan Day on April 9 prompted those who want to attend the hot-air ballon festival to book early in the hotels and inns in the area.<\/p>\n
The hot-air balloon festival is set from April 10 to 13 at a 250-hectare world-class tourism estate with a wakeboard in Barangay Prado Siongco. The venue is some 3 kilometers away from Dinalupihan, the only landlocked town of Bataan.<\/p>\n
Garcia said tourism officials of the provincial government reported to him that the hotels are fully booked for the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t mind where the venue of the hot-air balloon festival is as long the tourists are happy and comfortable,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I am glad that it\u2019s near Bataan because we will get some of the tourists to see and stay at our beautiful province,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The event\u2014described as one of the biggest tourism events in Luzon by the Hotel and Restaurants Association of Pampanga\u2014made Garcia asked for prominent investors to establish \u201cbigger hotels\u201d in Bataan.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur hotels are not enough as the hot-air festival is nearing. We must complement our beautiful beaches with big hotels,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n
In nearby Zambales province, Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino said the decision to transfer the venue of this year\u2019s hot-air balloon festival from the Clark Freeport\u00a0 to Lubao town proved to be more advantageous as it will spread the benefits from Pampanga to the neighboring provinces of Bataan and Zambales.<\/p>\n
Paulino made the assessment after the city\u2019s tourism department reported an increase in hotel bookings in time for the festival next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur city would be one of those that will benefit directly from the hot-air balloon\u00a0 festival because of our proximity to venue,\u201d Paulino said.<\/p>\n
SM Supermalls joined this year\u2019s festival by setting up ticket booths in all its branches nationwide. Each ticket costs P200.<\/p>\n