Puerto Princesa City is Philippines “Sports Tourism Capital”

Mayor Edward Hagedorn today said the hosting of the 2009 FIM Motocross Master of Asia-Puerto Princesa International Motocross Grand Prix that will open Friday, Feb. 27, and end up on March 1 at the Sta. Monica International Racetrack here will further boost the city’s aspiration to be the country’s “Sports Tourism Capital”.

Hosting the international motocross for the fifth year in a row, Hagedorn sees it to boost local tourism and fortify its claim as the sports tourism capital of the Philippines.

Being hailed as one of the Philippines’ top tourist destinations, Hagedorn said he has not stopped from exploring other ways to showcase its flora and fauna to nature lovers and other potential visitors.

The environmental mayor has taken the initiative to channel its efforts in promoting its sights, natural and historical, through sports tourism.

The city which earned the monicker “the country’s last frontier” has successfully hosted both local and international sporting events in the past, the most prominent of which are: the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area) Games in 2003, the National Youth and Women’s Amateur Boxing Championship, 2008 Palarong Pambansa, the MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) Regional Athletic Association Games and the International Invitational Sepak Takraw Championships.

“We’re looking forward to surpassing the record number of 70,000 local and visiting spectators for the event, and we’re targeting more tourists coming in in line with the month-long celebration of Puerto Princesa City Foundation anniversary,” said Hagedorn.

With the foreign delegates coming over and the UK crew of Star Sports and ESPN beaming the event to over 600 million households worldwide, Hagedorn hopes to showcase the city’s flora and fauna and boost the country’s chances to make it in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

The city official has embarked on a serious campaign to include Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park or the Underground River in the New Seven Wonders of the World in the ongoing global search.

Aside from “Underground River”, foreign delegates will also be treated to a tour of the city’s nature and historical sights like the Crocodile Farm, the Honda Bay, Ulugan Bay, El Nido, the Palawan Museum, the historic Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the Lions Cave, the Cawili Cave and a tour of Puerto Princesa’s aborigines at the Batak Village.

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