Dagupan River Cruise still free to public
TWO months into operation, the River Cruise in Dagupan, designed to boost tourism and generate income for the city, has yet to earn a single centavo.
The city administration has kept the service free because it still could not make up its mind how much to charge.
City hall insiders found this development perplexing since it’s a detail that should have been settled during the planning stage of the project.
City Tourism Officer Mary Rose Teng said during the KBP Forum at the Philippine Information Agency on Thursday that the city government has not decided yet on how much to charge patrons due to varying suggestions from different offices.
“It is not because no one is willing to pay for the ride,” Teng stressed.
She noted that the cruise boats are “fully booked all the time and lamented that the city is losing an opportunity to earn, which she said is particularly valuable considering the city’s limited budget this year.
Teng also revealed that the city does not wholly own and operate the cruise project. but she did not name the city’s private partners.
“It would have been better if the River Cruise is solely owned by the city,” Teng added.
She encouraged the public to take advantage of the free ride one-hour ride along the Dawel-Watak River.
There are plans to install food stops along the course of the cruise as an added attraction.
Meanwhile, plans to develop other tourist attractions in the city are on hold, according to Teng, due to lack of funds. (PIA-Pangasinan)
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