The La Union Tourism Office recorded around 415,028 visitors during the Holy Week this year, up from the 220,182 during the same period last year.
Provincial tourism data showed that from April 12 (day before Palm Sunday) to 20 (Easter Sunday this year), there were 337,362 day visitors and 77,666 overnight tourists.
Pilgrimage sites, like churches, topped the most visited places, with a total of 104,895 visitors.
These include the St. John the Baptist Parish Church in San Juan town; Holy Guardians Angels Parish Church, St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church, St. Michael the Archangel, Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity, St. Lucy Parish Church, St. Christopher Parish Church, St. Isidore the Farmer Parish Church, and St. Augustine of Hippo Parish Church in San Fernando City; and St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Caba.
The non-pilgrimage sites also visited by tourists are the San Juan Beach area, which attracted 61,002 visitors; Agoo Eco Fun World, 28,013; Baluarte Watch Tower, 14,092; Immuki Island, 12,578; Halo Halo De Iloko, 19,146.
Also, Ma-Cho Temple, 8,735; Tangadan Falls, 2,916; San Francisco Coast, 7,700; Bauang Beach, 9,852; Pugo Resort and Adventure Park, 5,576; Caba Grapes Farm, 1,967; Bato De Luna, 5,959; Bahay na Bato, 5,726; San Carlos Beach, 1,498; and Top Allan Adventure Park, 1,497.
Women made up 60 percent of the total arrivals while 40 percent of the visitors came from Metro Manila.
“The tourist arrivals data that we have seen for the Holy Week 2025 period proves that La Union has already placed itself in the global tourism map as a premier destination of the North. It shows that La Union continues to cater to tourists’ travel cravings,” Julius Manabat, officer-in-charge Provincial Tourism Office, said in an interview Tuesday.
“These numbers can be attributed to the sustained tourism development we have in the province that gives our tourists more and more reasons to Live, Own, Visit and Enjoy, LOVE, La Union,” La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David, said in a statement. (PNA)
