CEBU CITY, March 14 (PNA) — Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar has welcomed the looming opening of a 100-hectare safari adventure in Carmen town in northern Cebu.
“We welcome anything that is good for Cebu. This is something good for Cebu’s tourism,” del Mar told the Philippine News Agency.
The safari, being built by Cebuano pawnshop tycoon Michel Lhuillier, will feature an entertainment centre, animal interactions, eight adventure rides and an accommodation facility, among others.
Del Mar said the safari adventure will further boost tourism in the northern part of the province.
“Tourists will come to Cebu, and when they come, they spend money in Cebu. So this is good for Cebu’s economy,” he said.
Del Mar said this is also advantageous for Cebuanos and people living in nearby provinces because they don’t have to go to Africa anymore to go on a safari as there is one right in Cebu.
“Cebu is at the centre of the Visayas. It is very accessible to everyone,” he said.
Lhuillier earlier said they are are aiming to open the safari by October or November this year.
He said 70 percent of the animals, bought from Texas in the United States, France and Dubai, are set to arrive in Cebu within this month.
The safari will have 60 species of birds and feature the Lhuillier family’s collection of orchids and other flowers.
The entrance to the safari is pegged at around PHP550, but it was uncertain if it is inclusive of transportation from Cebu City to the safari, located in the hinterlands of Carmen town.