Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Monday announced that 15 more tourist rest areas (TRA) will be opened in the Philippines.

Frasco led the inauguration and turnover of the first-ever TRA in the country in the sugarcane town of Medellin in Cebu province’s northern corridor.

The 15 more TRAs will be added to the department’s initial roster of 10 that will stand in selected areas with concentrations of tourists.

Accompanied by her mother, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and other officials during the inauguration of the facility in Medellin’s Poblacion village, the DOT chief said the TRA seeks to provide comfort and convenience to the tourists traveling the province’s northern destinations.

“Visitors on a road trip traversing the town of Medellin can now enjoy the facility with Filipino-inspired interior and furniture for free,” Frasco said.

The DOT official led the groundbreaking ceremony of the facility in October last year.

The TRA will emphasize the availability of hygienic facilities for tourists and travelers who will be visiting various tourist destinations.

It features a coffee shop, a pasalubong and souvenir shop, a tourist information desk, and a charging station for mobile phones and laptops of transient visitors.

One of her signature initiatives in conjunction with DOT’s goal of giving tourists and travelers a comfortable and convenient overall tourist experience, Frasco underscored the importance of establishing rest areas for visitors to enhance their general experience in the country.

“The establishment of the Tourist Rest Area fulfils DOT’s objectives in improving the overall tourist experience. It ensures that our tourists feel comfortable on their journey as they travel across the country,” Frasco said.

Garcia, for her part, said the TRA showed a strengthened collaborative effort between the DOT and the LGUs in terms of tourism initiatives.

Garcia said the capitol will match the number of TRAs the DOT will put up in Cebu, with the first to be constructed in Bogo City.

The tourism agency broke ground for the four TRAs in Cebu last year, with the other three located in Carmen, Carcar City and Moalboal. (PNA)