DBPH Admin2 
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) on Sunday, 27 August, inaugurated the Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in Carcar City, Cebu, one of the province’s heritage hubs and this year’s host to Pasigarbo sa Sugbo.
This tourist facility, catering to tourists traveling to and from Carcar City and nearby areas, offers traveler-friendly amenities such as clean restrooms, a charging station, a lounge area, a shower area, and a lactation room for breastfeeding mothers—all of which can be used for free by tourists.
“As we ventured to fulfill our President’s vision to transform the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia, we made the effort to listen. We listened to our tourism stakeholders, we listened to our tourists, and their concern was common, and that is that to and from the beautiful destinations across the country, they needed a place to rest, they needed amenities, and they needed clean and decent restrooms,” Secretary Frasco enthused.
“Here in the heritage city of Carcar, through the tourist rest area, culture meets convenience. Through the tourist rest area, we are able to allow our tourists to immediately feel the love and warmth of the Filipino people, of the Cebuanos, through the amenities that we have to offer,” the tourism chief added.
The TRA in the 5th-class component city creates a convenient one-stop shop for festival delegates and patrons as well as travelers exploring the city rich in Baroque, Rococo, and Neo-classical architecture.
Completed by the DOT and its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the TRA also features a tourist information area and pasalubong (souvenir) center, serving local crafts and products, including banana chips, chocolate crunch, and Carcar’s famous chicharon, with the aim of empowering the SMSEs in the area.
