The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office here and biking enthusiasts have identified two routes in Leyte province for cycle tourism or cyclotourism.

DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said on Thursday these routes are the northeast Leyte loop in Tacloban and nearby towns of Palo, Santa Fe, and Alangalang; and the northwest Leyte corridor in Baybay City, Albuera town, and Ormoc City.

The northeast loop was identified with the help of Palo Vice Mayor Ronan Christian Reposar and their biker group while the northwest loop was conceptualized through initial talks with Baybay City tourism office chief Josie Gutierrez.

The tourism department will focus first on developing and promoting the northeast loops.

The northeast Leyte loop has a length of about 50 kilometers traversing national highways as well as bypass roads, diversion roads, and even barangay access roads.

“Most of these routes as now being visited by locals,” Tiopes told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

“In some areas, there will be off-road routes or cross-country trail where bikers will use mountain bikes (trail, enduro, or hard tail bikes, depending on the terrain),” she added.

The development of the cycle route is part of the tourism department’s thrust to develop new tourism products.

This is in response to the result of the Philippine Travel Survey Report survey done in May 2020, titled “The evolving landscape of domestic travel in the Philippines.”

“The scenery along the way was simply perfect. Like a three-tiered cake, you will see roadside rice fields, trees that fringed the edges of the fields, and a mountain over the horizon. Along with this is a mix of the flat, rolling and uphill paved road were dirt roads that were great for off-road rides,” Tiopes said, describing the bike route of northeast Leyte loop.

She added that bikers can do bird watching along the way.

Based on the assessments, there are 67 bird species along this loop, including 13 types of migratory birds.

Stakeholders will also identify the tourists’ and bikers’ needs along these routes such as rest areas, dining and water refill areas, and accommodation for long rides.

“We would like this to be inclusive. Meaning we will tap locals to provide meals, pasalubong (souvenir) items, and even identify nearby tourism sites or tourist activities along the route that bikers could visit,” she added.

The plan will not only help bikers but will also benefit the locals by offering products and services to bikers. (PNA)