Ilocos Norte - The Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) announced plans to relocate its first inflatable playground from Paoay Lake Water Park to La Milagrosa Cove in Badoc. This move aims to enhance the tourist experience and attract more visitors to the region. Namnama Bumanglag, a representative from INTO, stated that the relocation is being considered due to the current inaccessibility of the playground at Paoay Lake.
According to Philippines News Agency, The 4,200 square-meter inflatable island, introduced in 2022, features various attractions such as slides, towers, bridges, human launchers, and swings. The decision to relocate it to Badoc is driven by the suitability of the cove for swimming and its natural barriers. The local government is focused on developing new attractions and enhancing existing ones to revitalize the tourism industry post-pandemic. Key attractions such as La Milagrosa Cove, Paseo de Paoay, Malacanang of the North, and the Paoay sand dunes have been allocated significant budgets for development next year.
Tourism in Ilocos Norte has shown a remarkable recovery, with arrivals increasing from 800,000 in 2021 to almost three million in 2022. The province also reported an estimated PHP8.8 billion in tourism receipts for 2022. These developments are seen as pivotal in reviving the local economy and providing employment opportunities, including in the informal sector.