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...

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

 Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said.    Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel...

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy.   18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi...