The Ilocos Times

Technically speaking, farm tourism is just a subset of eco-tourism . Eco-tourism is the big umbrella—it covers everything from marine sanctuaries to mountain trails, from mangrove parks to wildlife reserves. But lately, I’ve noticed something interesting: here in the Philippines , farm tourism could become bigger than eco-tourism, at least in the domestic market. Why? Because while eco-tourism may have more to offer to foreign tourists—especially those who want untouched beaches or rare bird sightings—farm tourism has far more to offer to local tourists. And I don’t just mean sightseeing. Local visitors go to farms not only to look, but also to learn, taste, and take home something fresh. In fact, many farms have evolved into Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSAs), where visitors can get hands-on experience in farming before they decide to go into the business themselves. These LSAs are under the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the Department of Agriculture . Some even off...

TOURIST ARRIVALS. Tourists arrive at the Laoag International Airport in this undated photo. The peak day was recorded on March 29, 2024 with 84,824 visitors. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano LAOAG CITY—More local, domestic and foreign tourists are visiting Ilocos Norte, securing its spot as one of the premier tourism destinations in the country. Tourist arrival data released recently show that the province welcomed nearly 342,000 visitors during the Holy Week, Xavier Ruiz, officer-in-charge of the Ilocos Norte Tourism, said in a statement. "This marks a 5 percent increase from the same period in 2023 and a significant 48 percent jump compared to 2022, further exceeding pre-pandemic levels,” he said. Day-visitor arrivals, measured based on attractions, saw an increase to 341,953 while the peak day was on March 29, 2024, or Good Friday, with 84,824 visitors. Topping the list of the province's most visited attractions include the UNESCO-world heritage site of St. A...

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 33 rd 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 fo...

  By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—To boost the confidence of tourists to travel again, the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines, the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT) has approved PHP7 million for the RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) testing of tourism workers in the province. Covering at least 2,000 DOT-accredited tourism workers composed of tour guides, driver-guides, hotel and restaurant workers among others, RT-PCR testing bearing negative result is required before they can mingle with pre-registered tourists visiting Ilocos Norte. Xavier Ruiz, tourism operations officer II of the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office said they were able to secure the fund since November last year as they were supposed to roll out the free RT-PCR testing of tourism workers in December if for the rise cases of COVID-19, mostly in this city. “The free RT-PCR tests of tourism workers is meant to lessen the burden of tou...

Laoag City —Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city government of Laoag has opened the Laoag sand dunes and Aurora Park for tourists. City tourism officer Ana Carmela Remigio made this announcement after the two sites’ closure for months when the city was under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). In an executive order (EO) issued by Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc, the province has re-opened tourism sites but only to the provinces in Region I and Baguio City under the “Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor” with a set of guidelines and facilities that support safe leisure travel starting October 1, 2020. It also states the need to revitalize the tourism sector and assist those who rely on it. For the sand dunes, Mrs. Remigio said operators are “on call” with the help and guidance of Laoag tour operators. In addition, the city tourism office has trying to innovate something to offer to tourists like the promotion of the Cataban Weavers Association products made of wate...

Laoag City —“When we discuss tourism, it's not the economy and visitors but more so the families and livelihoods that rely on this powerhouse of an industry. Let us make sure that we prioritize the people behind this dear industry and make sure that they are the ones that benefit the most from this reopening." Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc urged during the launching of the “Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor” at the Baguio Convention Center on September 22, 2020. National and regional tourism chiefs, Region I local chief executives, heads of tourism councils, and presidents of tourism organizations spearheaded the "Ridge and Reef" launch, alongside presenting available itineraries and local products. Meanwhile, the Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, reiterated that the previous memorandum of agreement signing aimed to foster the establishment of green lanes for tourists and promote safe travel and seamless interconnectivity of land voyage,...

  Laoag City —Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc has committed to the opening of the "Northern Luzon Tourism Corridor," an initiative of chief executives and tourism councils in Northern Luzon to cushion the impact of COVID-19 across tourism industries. Preparing for the resumption of tourism by rolling out a rehabilitation plan, the provincial governments of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan, and the city government of Baguio have collaborated to prioritize the livelihood rehabilitation of their constituents while guaranteeing the overall safety of tourists and spurring again tourism-related economic activities.   "We started discussing the 'Tourism Bubble' concept together with 'the Department of Tourism (DOT) and counterparts in Region I and Baguio City, as well as other tourism officers in the country because at that time, very early in May,   there was no clear reference about how to address the impact of the pandemic,...

  By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY–Closed for more than two weeks, Ilocos Norte’s smallest town composed of one barangay is now accepting local tourists—but only from this province. Home to over 2,000 peace-loving indigenous peoples, waterfalls and hanging bridges, the town of Adams temporary suspended the entry of visitors from August 10-25, 2020 following the surge of coronavirus infections in the province. Executive Order No. 28-2020 which Adams mayor Rosalia Dupagen signed barred the entry of non-residents, re-echoing Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc’s directive to cooperate with authorities and help contain the spread of the virus. “Adams is now open to tourism activities,” said municipal tourism officer Anavic Medrano on August 27, 2020, delighting netizens who want to visit Adams town, known for its local fruit wines and scenic destinations. Ms. Medrano, however clarified that only Ilocos Norte residents can visit Adams until furth...

  By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—An idyllic cove with crystal clear waters at Sitio Pagetpet, Brgy. La Milagrosa in Badoc, Ilocos Norte is gearing up for a much-needed facility improvement while tourists are not yet allowed to visit here due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, the town of Badoc that hosts the La Milagrosa Cove and the Minor Basilica of Saint John the Baptist had drawn foreign and local tourists for devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. To keep up with a growing interest in faith tourism under the new normal, the Ilocos Norte government through members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved a total of PHP5 million as additional funds for tourism facility improvement. According to provincial tourism officer Ianree Raquel, "part of the improvement includes the establishment if at least five comfort rooms for female and four for male.” In addition, there will also be three urinals for male. "Both male and female comfort ...

  Laoag City —To promote the province as a trusted destination by assuring the safety of tourists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, through the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO), is set to launch “Safe Travel Application for You in Ilocos Norte” or “Stay IN”, an online platform that gathers tourism information essential in complying with public health standards and supports efficient contact tracing when needed. “Stay IN” boasts an effective data management feature designed to assign users with unique QR codes and alphanumeric codes which will be used to grant entry to the province and record tourist’s actual itinerary. It allows INTO to monitor the number of employees and guests to ensure that occupants can maintain social distancing requirements and capacity prescribed by local authorities. Moreover, data through the web-based app will be used to provide services, to issue valid QR code, to provide adequate security against fraud and ...

  By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—Following the successful staging of the maiden drive-in concert at the La Paz sand dunes in this city, the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office arranged another “drive tour” featuring this time the scenic Solsona-Apayao road, an emerging highway tourism destination in the province even before the COVID-19 lockdown. Located between the boundaries of Brgys. Manalpac in Solsona town, and Butao in Calanasan, Apayao, some 40 kilometers from this city, provincial tourism officer Aianree Raquel said that they managed fully booked the mountain drive held July 18, 2020. “We can responsibly enjoy our vast natural landscape by following health and safety protocols,” said Mr. Raquel while enjoining interested individuals or groups to register and avail of some freebies with live performances from partner event hosts or sponsors. For the Ilocos-Cordillera drive tour, the provincial government made 70 slots available, inclusive of coffee and...

Laoag City —In a bid to sustain standardized and systematic province-wide tourism operations, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc released a memorandum on January 8, 2020 ordering all city and municipal mayors to ensure that the Department of Tourism (DOT) has accredited all tourism enterprises in the province. In the memorandum, Mr. Manotoc said all city and municipal mayors “are hereby directed to observe and strictly enforce the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9593 or the 'Tourism Act of 2009', mandating primary tourism enterprises (PTEs) to secure accreditation from the DOT as a requirement for the issuance of license or permit to operate.” To guarantee the “reliability and legitimacy” of tourism-related services in the country, the DOT accreditation is a certification issued to tourism enterprises to officially recognize that they are compliant with the minimum standards for the operation of tourism facilities and services. ...

Cruise passengers arrive at the Ilocos (Salomague) Port in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. (DOT Laoag sub-office photo) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Currimao , Ilocos Norte—The international seaport of Currimao welcomed another cruise ship on January 6,2019. According to Xavier Ruiz, tourism operations officer in Ilocos Norte said MV The World, with 160 passengers departed from Hongkong and docked near the at the Currimao seaport on January 6, 2020. Part of the passengers’ itinerary was to visit various cultural heritage sites in the province such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St. Augustine Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte and the wonder city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur. On the same day, the MV Royal Caribbean which is bigger than the MV The World also returned at the Salomague Port in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur with thousands of passengers, mostly from China and the United States of America. Last year, the Royal Caribbean made a stop at the international seapor...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—With the influx of foreign tourists visiting Ilocos Norte, travel operators said they are in need of more tour guides to assist guests and make their stay memorable in the province. According to Angel Lao, former president of the Ilocos Norte Travel and Tours Association and a travel agency owner, she said Ilocos residents who are still looking for employment or those who wish to have an alternative source of income may consider attending a short term course on tour guiding seminar to join the exciting world of growing tourism industry in the region. As a ground handler of shore excursions in this northern part of Luzon, Lao said tour guiding is an exciting job with a good pay. “We are looking for more tour guides as we expect more tourists to visit our province this year,” she said as she observed a shortage of tour guides whenever there are cruise ships that simultaneously dock at the Currimao seaport in this provin...

  Delegates showcase their respective traditions in a parade to start the 2019   Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines convention. The Ilocos Norte and Laoag City governments jointly hosted the event October 2-5, 2019.  ( Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —With at least 1,200 tourism officers joining this year’s Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines National Convention, the Ilocos Norte provincial government pulled all the stops in hosting the annual event. Highlighting the four-day convention is the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines and Department of Tourism (ATOP-DOT) Pearl Awards for Best Tourism Practices of the Philippines on October 4, 2019 held in front of the Paoay Church. This aims to recognize the efforts of LGUs towards the advancement of the country’s tourism industry. This year’s ATOP National Convention is hosted by Ilocos Norte which won first place...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Adams, Ilocos Norte —The gastronomic delights in this growing ecotourism destination of the northeastern part of Ilocos Norte got even better in luring tourists as homestay owners, food vendors and wine makers got a taste of a culinary workshop here. Sponsored by the Department of Tourism (DOT), at least 39 members of the indigenous peoples (IP) in a small community of Adams town composed of only one village graduated from a two-day Kulinarya Workshop held August 1-2, 2019 at the town ’ s gymnasium. Chef Jose Ramlo Villaluna, a tourism advocate and resource speaker of the DOT ’ s pioneering culinary workshop in the province, said the unique food being offered in Adams such as pinikpikan (beaten chicken stew), dinakdakan a susop (banana blossoms with grated coconut), balbalosa (a miniature eggplant only found in Adams), and other exotic edible plants and vegetables are already delectable but it can become even more enticing ...