Tourism assembly to incorporate tourism, new marketing strategies
The weeklong Western Visayas Tourism Assembly which opens today, October 23, aims to incorporate tourism and marketing strategies in order to sell the festivals and tourism places in the entire region. The department is also looking into the full swing promotion of domestic tourism apart from the foreign tourism industry.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Edwin Trompeta said they want to focus on the regional tourism and marketing which is also in response to the current trend on the tourism industry. The tourism department is also expected to present its tourism action plan initialized in 2005 during its tourism summit.
He said, the holding of the tourism assembly will address the regional issues and concerns confronting the tourism industry. There are several issues raised during the tourism summit in 2005 which could be addressed during the assembly, added Trompeta.
Trompeta said the assembly is purposely designed "to get everybody involved as one regional destination."
"It is not to compete with each other's festivals but to compliment with each other," he said.
Among the highlights in the weeklong activities is the Parade of Festivals scheduled on October 27, 2006. Seventeen festivals in the region including the various festival queens will parade in the city's major thoroughfares on that day.
The parade of festivals will showcase El Cinco de Noviembre of Bago City; Paraw Regatta Festival of Iloilo City; Sto. Nino Festival of Kalibo, Bariw Festival of Nabas, Aklan; Pahinis Festival of Laua-an, Antique; Sinadya sa Halaran of Capiz; Tinu-om Festival of Cabatuan; Pandayan Festival of Badiangan; Saad Festival of Leganes; Lanot Festival of Janiuay; Cry of Jelicuon Festival of New Lucena; Manggahan Festival of Guimaras; Kahilwayan Festival of Sta. Barbara; Masskara Festival of Bacolod City; Binirayan Festival of Antique; Babaylan Festival of Bago City; Pintados de Passi of Passi City; Banaag Festival of Anilao and Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City.
Trompeta said the successful promotion of the domestic tourism is only a matter of arranging and packaging. The promotion of the domestic tourism is a lifeblood of the nation.
Trompeta cited the case of Japan where more than 4 million Japanese tourists visit the tourist destinations in Japan itself surpassing the number of foreign tourists.
However, the success of the domestic tourism depends on the support and cooperation of the local government units concerned. The executive and the legislative departments should be synchronized to attain the purpose in the promotion of domestic tourism, Trompeta said.
"Nothing will happen if the mayor and the council are at war with each other, said Trompeta.
Also part of the activities in the Western Visayas Tourism Assembly is the giving of awards to stakeholders who have made contributions in the development of local tourism industry to be held on October 25.
There will also be a Western Visayas Tourism Forum the whole day of October 25 where significant topics related to the tourism industry will be discussed by the invited speakers.