THE AYALA Group has collaborated with the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the country’s first-ever Hop-On, Hop-Off (HoHo) bus tours by offering 4 of its properties as designated stops in Makati City.
In her remarks at the recent launch of the bus tours at the Glorietta, Ayala Malls Marketing and Communications Head Chrissy Roa said, while Makati is well known as a major financial district, “Truth be told, it is the OG Live, Work, and Play City and has so much more to offer in arts, culture, entertainment, and food, among others. And HoHo’s specially-curated tourist spots and stops in Makati are a testament to that.” At the preview of the bus tour, for instance, guests were taken to the Washington SyCip Park, Museo ng Makati, and the Poblacion district.
According to DOT data, there were 5.3 million overnight tourists in the National Capital Region last year, of which Makati ranked third in terms of the highest number of visitors at 969,927, after Pasay and Parañaque, respectively.
Makati City and Manila are the pilot areas for the project, which the DOT hopes to replicate across the country. Tourists only have to pay P1,000 to take the HoHo bus and explore both cities.
Designated stops
For her part, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said, “The Hop-On, Hop-Off tours give our tourists the opportunity not only to be reminded of the spirit of modernity and innovation that Makati has always been known for, but also to get to know the soul of your city that lies in your hidden gems, in your museums, in the many stops that are covered by this tour. This will allow our tourists—domestic and international alike—to get to know the people of Makati, to get to know your rich history, culture, and heritage.”
Designated stops in Makati include: Glorietta 2, Washington Sycip Park, RCBC Plaza, Circuit Makati, Century City Mall, Makati Museum, Rockwell Center, and the Ayala Triangle. There will be a bus at midday that can take tourists to the Mall of Asia in Pasay if they want to explore Manila next, at no extra charge.
Designated stops in Manila are the CCP Star City, Raja Sulayman Plaza in Malate, Luneta Park, Manila City Hall and National Museums, Jones Bridge Escolta, Binondo, and Intramuros. The HoHo bus tours will be fully operational by June 25.
Curated private tours
In a post on its Facebook page, the DOT said the HoHo bus tours project targets individuals traveling in a group as well as fully independent travelers, and provides them the convenience and flexibility of booking their tours to a destination through a seamless, contactless system. They will be able to board the tour bus at designated stops within the city and visit Makati and Manila’s attractions, and enjoy activities based on suggested itineraries by the DOT team assigned at each stop. Visitors can also opt to avail of private and guided tours, which shall be paid separately.
The DOT and its partners are finalizing the website, which will allow tourists to book their passage on the HoHo bus and choose merchants who can provide curated, guided tours. The private tours, based on itineraries pre-approved by the DOT, will be conducted by agency-accredited tour guides retained by accredited tour operators.
An app will also be made available so tourists can explore, on their own, the attractions around each stop, and provide them information about these destinations.
Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tours, offered by private tour companies, have long been a mode for tourists to explore popular destinations in Europe, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and New York.
Image credits: Ayala Malls FB page
