The investors, who recently signed contracts with the SBMA, include Global Dongsan Phils. Inc., which is spending $ 1.1 million for a commercial building; Cook Group and Pacific Associates, with $ 1.4 million to build camping and recreational facilities, and Buma Subic, with $ 36,585 for a restaurant venture.

The SBMA said the rest of the new investors are into manufacturing, logistics and services, and others.

Subic Daesung Corp. committed $ 15 million to engage in the construction and operation of mixed-use commercial buildings that include a condominium-hotel, restaurant and retail shop.

On the other hand, Subic Enerzone Corp., operator of the power distribution system in the area, will also construct hotels and condominiums.

Several existing business locators have also amended their contracts to expand into construction and property development.

These include GVC Subic Corp., a former computer parts manufacturer which will now develop, subdivide, exchange, lease and hold real estate of all kinds at the Subic Bay Gateway Park; and Maritan Subic Inc. which has expanded into constructing, developing, and operating commercial buildings.

Other investors include the 7-Tower Properties and Management Consultants which has committed $ 125,000 for a real-estate management venture; Hanil E&C Subic Inc. which is putting up $ 11 million to engage in the design, planning, construction and development of medium to high-rise commercial residential buildings.

SBMA officials said Hanil, a Korean firm, will construct the $ 130 million Subic Ampelos Tower of the Korean property developer KT Global Subic Inc.

The Ampelos Tower, which is planned to be a 17-storey, state-of-the-art condominium-hotel complex, will be Subic’s second high-rise next to Hanjin’s 22-storey edifice at the the Cubi-Triboa District.

The Global Terminals and Development Inc., which is developing the Alava Pier as a passenger terminal, has gained approval by the SBMA to develop a two-storey commercial building and 10 Bali-inspired villa-type hotel units at Subic’s former Ship Repair Facility area.

Organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the 19th Philippine Travel Mart is gearing to showcase the country’s adventure side with the theme “Triple X: Xtreme Adventure, Xtreme Wellness and Xtreme Leisure.”

“The theme fits Subic very well. We have the forests, the bay, and amenities that promote adventure, wellness, and leisure,” said SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, who signed last week a memorandum of agreement with PHILTOA president Cesar Cruz for the SBMA to be one of the major sponsors of the event.

“We want the whole world to know that here in Subic, tourists can experience the most adventurous vacation they could ever have,” said Arreza.

Aside from the SBMA, 11 tourism stakeholders in the free port have pooled talents and resources together in the design and construction of a “one-of-a-kind” pavilion to give visitors “the aura and ambience of Subic Bay,” Arreza added.

The Subic Bay pavilion will be one of the 17 exhibits to be on display during the actual Travel Mart on September 12-14 at the Megatrade Halls, SM Megamall Bldg. B in Mandaluyong City.

Aside from the pavilions, majority of which will be put up by regional offices of the DOT, some 178 individual exhibitors will promote their products during the tourism fair.

SBMA deputy administrator for tourism Raul Marcelo said the Subic pavilion, which sprang out of “the inspired imagination and enthusiasm” of Subic locators, “would surely surprise guests with its water-inspired theme.”

“If the initial plan would push through, visitors will get the feeling of being in a bay while they are in the Subic pavilion,“ Marcelo hinted.

Arreza said the Subic Bay Freeport would greatly benefit from the Travel Mart, which brings in thousands of local and foreign corporate buyers, consumers and other stakeholders in a single venue for travel and tourism.

He added that one major factor that would attract foreign buyers is Subic’s increased accessibility, especially so with international flights arriving at the nearby Clark Freeport and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) in place.

Arreza also announced that on September 12, right after the opening ceremonies of the Philippine Travel Mart, the SBMA will be hosting some 50 foreign buyers who will visit Subic’s attractions, and also checking out Clark along the way.

Subic takes pride in its unspoiled jungles and beaches that attract tourists yearning for extreme adventure, added Marcelo.

He added that the free port’s tourism facilities are keeping up with the growing demand, with several hotels, restaurants, spas and other tourism-related amenities now being developed.

Subic also hosts four nature theme parks, a 19-hole golf course planned for upgrading to an all-weather 21-hole facility, and a convention and exhibition center.

The Philippines is fortunate indeed to have such unique travel destinations as Palawan, with its mysterious remote beauty, the Banaue Rice Terraces , considered the 8th wonder of the world, and the Cagayan Valley with its extensive network of caverns waiting to be explored. Add to this the numerous remote provinces, many still inhabited by indigenous people, offering intrigue, unprecedented natural-beauty and fascinatingly-unique character, providing ideal backdrops for adventure tourism activities.

In the words of the Adventure Travel Trade Association based in the U.S., adventure travel may be any tourist activity that includes two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction, and engagement with nature. Adventure travelers step outside of their comfort zones to experience something new, something cultural, something unique. Typically, the destinations chosen by these enthusiasts are remote, ecologically-pristine spots offering unusual features or conditions; this describes many destinations in the Philippines perfectly.

Travel agencies throughout developed countries are expanding their portfolio of offerings. It appears to no longer be good enough to offer simple sightseeing packages; travelers now want more exciting and experiential tour packages for their hard-earned money. Smart travel operators are now packaging adventure activities to unusual and unique locations as a significant part of their offerings. Some activities included in these packages may include, trekking, mountaineering, mountain biking, rafting, rock climbing, bird-watching, whitewater rafting, scuba diving, snorkeling, spelunking, parasailing, hang-gliding, sky-diving, rock climbing, repelling, military-style jungle adventures, indigenous-people survival adventures, safaris, wild animal interaction/encounters, sea mammal interaction/encounters to name a few.

With a clear understanding of the growth potential of this market, Clark Subic Marketing (CSM), owner of a comprehensive Internet portal for the Philippines Freeport Zones of Clark and Subic Bay, representing numerous Clark Hotels and Subic Bay Hotels, found at: http://www.clarksubicmarketing.com, is assisting the Philippines DOT. CSM is promoting this relatively new, vital opportunity to travel agencies, local government units, tourism councils and other beneficial entities. CSM is working with the Department of Tourism (DOT)/Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) to advertise on the CSM portal and assist in coordinating the hotel bookings for an upcoming seminar on adventure tourism in the Clark Freeport. The seminar is designed to educate and enlighten industry operators and purveyors to the adventure travel potential and encourage relationship building and intercommunication between all of the various current and potential adventure travel providers and suppliers.

This seminar, presented by the DOT and PCVC in cooperation with its strategic partners, Recreational Outdoor Exchange and Philippines Airlines is an intensive seminar designed to help the Philippines grab a market share of this lucrative market. According to PCVC this seminar is ideal for those engaged in travel or adventure related businesses or considering starting any of a plethora of new-ventures. The seminar will build awareness and assist in learning the ins-and-outs from foreign and local experts in the field of adventure tourism.

The DOT/PCVC Adventure Tourism Seminar will be held at the Hotel Stotsenberg in the Clark Freeport Zone between June 3rd and 5th 2008. For additional information go to this website link http://www.clarksubicmarketing.com/ or contact PCVC at: 02-525-9318 TO 27 Fax: 02-521-6165/525-1153. For hotel booking information, contact Clark Subic Marketing at 045-499-0695 or Cell: 0928-504-6769.

Contact Information
Clark Subic Marketing
John Banas
(63)-(045)-499-0695
submit@clarksubicmarketing.com
www.clarksubicmarketing.com

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza, adventure tourism is one sector where the Subic Bay Freeport “naturally excels.”

“We’ve had these adventure attractions since day one because of Subic’s well-preserved environment, and we keep on improving on them ever since,” Arreza said.

“If tourists would come looking for some adventure during their vacation, Subic is ready and raring to give them some,” he said.

Arreza pointed out Subic’s advantages in adventure tourism as the Department of Tourism (DOT) set its sights on a nationwide campaign to promote eco-tourism and adventure tours in the country and make the Philippines the best adventure destination in Asia.

DOT Secretary Joseph Ace Durano started this initiative under the aptly-named “Adventure Philippines Campaign,” a program that also seeks to provide tourism stakeholders an overview of the outdoor recreation industry, along with the benefits for generating more employment.

The program also aims to foster networking capacity and working relationship between travel service providers and suppliers.

Under the program, the DOT will conduct a seminar on adventure tourism at the Hotel Stotsenberg in the Clark Freeport Zone on June 3 to 5.

An actual adventure travel to Subic Bay Freeport’s rainforests is set on the last day, wherein the participants will visit Subic’s jungle-themed parks, its wildlife sanctuary, and experience jungle adventure facilities here like “canopy ride” and “slide for life.”

“We want the whole world to know that in the Philippines, especially here in Subic Bay, tourists can experience the most adventurous vacation they could ever have,” Arreza said.

He added that the SBMA, in coordination with the DOT, has also started an accreditation program for hotels and other tourism establishments in Subic “to raise standards to world-class levels.”

“We want to create a positive awareness for the country among our foreign visitors, so improving our facilities and services to complement our exciting outdoor adventure attractions is one initiative we’ve been doing for the past two years,” he added.

According to the SBMA Tourism Department, Subic is poised to attract more local and foreign tourists this year, with the recent opening of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), a 94-kilometer four-lane highway that connects Subic to the neighboring Clark Freeport and other industrial areas in Northern Luzon.

Data compiled by SBMA tourism indicated a 26 percent increase in hotel occupancy when the SCTEX was opened for a trial run during the recent Holy Week.

Eight of the hotels and housing providers in Subic said that the were fully booked during the said five-day period, while seven other hotels showed occupancy rates of 90-98 percent. The average occupancy rate for the 32 hotels in Subic that time was 84 percent, compared to a mere 58.31 percent in the same period last year.

Arreza said the DOT’s Adventure Philippines campaign could prove to be a boom to tourism attractions in the Subic Bay area because of the easier access provided by the SCTEx.

“The jungles and beaches and parks in Subic are waiting to be explored and enjoyed. And the good thing is, they’re now just a short drive away,” he said.

Clark, Philippines, March 31, 2008-

The SCTex Super Highway was unveiled to the Philippines in a one-week soft-opening during holy week 2008. This event brought record numbers of tourists to Subic Bay via a super-elegant, state-of-the-art roadway much like those found in the U.S. and Japan.

This highway turned an otherwise laboriously long 2 ½ hour trip into a pleasurable,
scenic, smooth 40 minutes adventure. With the advent of this new mega-structure comes opportunity to build new Philippine corridor of business, leisure and progress. As the new highway provides a physical connection between Clark and Subic, a new virtual, cyber connection has taken root.

Jannette Mercado, owner of Clark Subic Marketing, had a dream about a year ago. Wanting to coincide with the opening of the proud new highway, develop a comprehensive web portal connecting Clark and Subic Bay Freeport Zones. Her dream has taken shape in what is now Clark Subic Marketing, found at: www.clarksubicmarketing.com. Here you’ll find a one-stop information and marketing resource, detailing these important interconnected zones as a whole to the Philippines and to the world.

Janet had this to say about her undertaking and her country ‘I have always had a passion to see my country grow economically and to see more Filipinos rise above poverty. ‘I’ve found my niche in the opportunity I believe God has given me to do my part in promoting these two exciting Freeport Zones.’ Her success is clearly coming to fruition as the site now enjoys approximately 18,000 visits a month. She goes on to say ‘Developing this Internet presence has been entirely a labor of love, without compensation, but in the near future I intend to build-out a marketing and travel-connected business as part of this venture when I open my new office in the Clark Freeport.’

Clark and Subic each play a part in the realization of the dream of a new Philippines. Clark Freeport Zone has a dual-runway, super-airport capable of landing the Space Shuttle, while Subic has a deep-water port, with newly developed dock, shipping and handling facilities.

As a testament to the potential of these zones and envisioning the future, giant multinational corporations have built or are building billion dollar facilities. They include Hanjin ship builders and Texas Instruments Corporations. More recently, Samsung has signed an agreement to build a 2 billion dollar plant and Jafza Int’l, the global economic zone operations arm of Economic Zones World, signed a MOU for regeneration and development of the Subic Bay Port into a mega-port with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

It looks as though Clark Subic Marketing is positioned to grow along with this new business and leisure hub. Keep up the good work Jannette.

Contact Information:
Clark Subic Marketing

1857b gumain st. Redwood Villa Philippines

Contact Person:
john mercado
web developer
Phone: 4990695
Web: http://www.clarksubicmarketing.com