The Philippines has unveiled the third and latest stop of the Philippines Hop-On-Hop-Off (HOHO) Bus Tours – the Pasay-Paranaque circuit, aka the Entertainment Hub.
Traversing the cities of Pasay and Paranaque, HOHO will now bring tourists into these entertainment hotspots that feature a blend of modern entertainment complexes, vibrant nightlife, and historical and cultural landmarks.
The Entertainment Hub features 13 designated bus stops at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1, 2, and 3, Newport World Resorts, City of Dreams, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Parqal, Okada Manila, Solaire Resort, Luxe Duty Free, MOA Main Stop, SMX Convention Center, and MOA Seaside.
It will also connect to the Business Hub of Makati and Cultural Hub of Manila, and a special by-appointment-only route in Malacañang showcasing Bahay Ugnayan and Teus Mansion, which are now accessible as heritage museums.
The Department of Tourism’s (DoT) secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the launch in the premier cities of Pasay and Paranaque “is another addition to the already diverse tourism product offerings in the National Capital Region, and in the entire country”.
“The Hop-On-Hop-Off Tours have successfully promoted our heritage sites, museums, and lifestyle centres in the metropolis, and the entertainment spots, heralding our stories as a people,” she added, calling the initiative part of the strategies under the National Tourism Development Plan.
Frasco also spoke about HOHO’s foray into digitalising tours as a huge step forward to the country’s desire to boost the ease of doing business and travel, as well as to “provide travellers with cost-efficient, smart, and a digital environment for tourism”.
With the mobile app, tourists can explore Metro Manila and navigate key locations across the region. They can book their own itinerary – guided or DIY – which allows them to explore nearby attractions at their leisure, as well as check the schedule of the departing bus in various HOHO stops in real-time.
This year, the DoT will launch the remaining three HOHO hubs composed of the Heart Hub that includes the cities of San Juan, Pasig, and Mandaluyong; the Lifestyle Hub featuring the business and commercial district of the City of Taguig – The Bonifacio Global City, and the Mind Hub that focuses on educational institutions located in Quezon City.
In addition, the launch of the HOHO Entertainment Hub marks the inception of the country’s Layover tours for international transit passengers that is scheduled to be launched in the 2Q2024, allowing travellers on connecting flights with several hours to spare a chance to get a glimpse of the Philippines.
