THE Department of Tourism (DOT) sees tourists to Northern Luzon destinations soon reaching their prepandemic levels.
In a news statement, DOT reported that from January to November 18, domestic and foreign visitors to the tourism bloc—composed of the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Central Luzon— reached 3.8 million.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco expressed confidence in domestic tourism’s powerful contribution to the country’s economic recovery as she opened the North Luzon Travel Fair held over the weekend at the SMX Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga. “And while recently, we have reopened our country to international travel, I can see that we are well on our way to recovery because you are well on your way to the 9.6 million [domestic and foreign] arrivals that you had in this side of the country prior to the pandemic,” she added.
Prepandemic, the entire country received 8.26 million international travelers in 2019, while domestic trips reached 122.12 million then. Tourism stakeholders and the DOT believe the adjusted holidays in 2023 will help increase domestic trips and speed up the tourism industry’s recovery. (See, “Adjusted holidays to boost domestic travel next year,” in the BusinessMirror, November 21, 2022.)
Last weekend’s North Luzon Travel Fair, which opened on Friday, was a collaboration between DOT regional offices and the Alliance of Travel and Tour Agencies of Pampanga. It was meant to create a one-stop-shop for domestic tours bookings, products, services, delicacies, gifts and pasalubong items, as well as regionalcultural presentations.
“That is why all of our regional directors from the entire country are here today [Friday]…to bring back home the good news that North Luzon is ready for the revitalization of tourism in this part of the country,” she said.
Southern, central RDs to go on factours
With the theme “Weaving our Way to Recovery,” Frasco noted, “Not only will the [fair] give exposure [to] our local government units, our ecozones, our bases, our hotels, resorts and other accommodations, service agencies and tour operators, but more importantly, our regional directors from central and southern Philippines will actually visit the regions of North Luzon to ensure they will be able to bring the domestic tourists from their side of the country to your side of the country.”
The three-day event highlighted discounted packages, air tickets, accommodation, and other tourism-related products for consumers; business-to-business (B2B) sessions, which provided an opportunity for tourism stakeholders to experience innovative ways of developing business connections and update local industry partners with the latest tourism offerings; a Buyers’ Familiarization Tour of the North Luzon regions; and Hibla ng Lahi, a fashion show that featured and showcased the regal and indigenous fabrics from North Luzon.
Other participants which showcased their finest crafts and tourist destinations were DOT-National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsksargen, and the Caraga region.
Other DOT partners for the North Luzon Travel Fair included DOT’s marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board; the DOT marketing Subic-Clark Alliance for Development; the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; the Clark Development Corp.; Digital Out-of-Home Philippines; and Philippine Airlines.