Skip to main content

Ilocos Norte generates P4.4M from travel fair

By Leilanie G. Adriano (Staff Reporter)




LAOAG CITY—A three-day travel fair in Manila has generated almost PHP4.5 million in sales for Ilocos Norte, contributing to the province's efforts to bounce back from the slump caused by the coronavirus disease 2019.

Gervy James Gumarit, Ilocos Norte government information officer, said the province earned PHP4,394,520 from tickets, accommodations, tours, and visas, including additional sales from Ilocano food and non-food products amounting to PHP58,000, during the fair organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, 2022.

“Among our best-selling products at the fair were bagnet and longganisa among others,” he said, adding that they had to restock by the second day.

Participating in the 33rd staging of the Philippine Travel Mart were 300 exhibitors from 12 regions representing different brands and institutions in the tourism, hospitality, and travel and tours industries.

“Our diverse options for travel packages and the very adventure that comes along with our province’s culture, food, and natural wonders enticed eager travelers in the three-day travel trade fair,” Xavier Ruiz, senior tourism officer of Ilocos Norte, said.

He said compared to when Ilocos Norte last joined in 2019, this year's figures were an even bigger “blockbuster.”

Ilocos Norte's booth featured designs inspired by the Kapurpurawan natural rocks formation and windmills.

Attending the fair were Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrel and Bangui's pride, social media influencer Michelle Dy, both of whom are Ilocos Norte’s tourism ambassadors and shared their thoughts on why tourists should include Ilocos Norte in their bucket list.

Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos also attended the event to promote Ilocos Norte and strengthen its linkages with other regions across the country.

Ruiz said Ilocos Norte’s return to the Philippine Travel Mart with potential sales of PHP9.5 million has helped in the recovery of the province's tourism and its micro, small, and medium enterprises.

For those who were unable to join the country’s biggest travel bazaar, Ruiz urged the public to head over to the Ilocos Norte government website (www.ilocosnorte.ph) for more affordable travel deals.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

PIDS expert says income tax cuts justified; warns gov’t of revenue loss

Proposals to amend the personal income tax schedule appear to be well-justified. However, these proposals should include measures that will allow government to recover the revenue loss from lower income taxes. Dr. Rosario Manasan, senior research fellow of state think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), said at a seminar sponsored by the Philippine Senate, that government should look for new revenue measures to compensate for the projected revenue loss that will arise as a result of the implementation of any of the various proposals to restructure the personal income tax. Currently, there are several income tax reform proposals pending in both houses of Congress. All of them, according to Dr. Manasan, have the same objective of addressing the phenomenon of bracket creep, which results from “non-indexation to inflation of personal income tax brackets”. Simply put, bracket creep occurs when employees’ income increases over time as a result of inflation. Th

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City.  (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.