BACOLOD City is hosting the third and last leg of this year's Regional Travel Fair, which will kick off at SM City Bacolod today, October 26.
The two-day event initiated by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism (DOT) will run from October 26 to 27 with pre-event activities on October 25.
It is aimed at promoting the Philippine domestic tourism by providing stakeholders and industry players a venue to transact businesses among sellers, buyers and public consumers.
Cristine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operations officer, thanked TPB for choosing Bacolod City as their venue for the travel fair.
Mansinares said in Negros Occidental, domestic tourism significantly contributes to the growth of the province's economy. It comprises 93 percent of the total arrival in 2017.
"It also served as a venue for our DOT-accredited tour operators in the province to network and meet new business partners in the industry," she added.
The launching of the Regional Travel fair was held in Legazpi City, Albay in May this year, while the second leg was held in Davao City last August.
TPB Chief Operating Officer Marie Venus Tan, in a statement, said domestic tourism makes a substantial contribution to the industry's overall financial resilience, sustainability, and functionality.
"It is in this light that TPB organized Regional Travel Fair to attract local and foreign tourists and tourism professionals to visit and explore the Philippines," Tan said.
A series of on-ground activities will be held in SM Bacolod City including the half day-business-to-business (B2B) session at the SMX Convention Center yesterday, October 25.
There is also a two-day consumer expo at the Atrium Activity Center starting today, October 26. This segment showcases best deals in domestic tour packages offered by invited tour operators, travel agents, domestic hotels and resorts, destination management companies and domestic airlines from Luzon and Mindanao.
TPB, in a statement, said it decided to channel its resources and reach out to its partners and further enhance products, packages and experiences for travellers.
The program was designed to be as inclusive as possible, with the participation of buyers and sellers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, it added.
Citing latest results of the Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts (PTSA) which provides information on tourism expenditure and employment, TPB said domestic tourism expenditures, which include the expenditure of resident visitors within the country, grew by 19.1 percent.
From almost P1.8 billion in 2015, it went up to P2.1 billion in 2016.
Employment in tourism characteristic industries was estimated at 5.2 million in 2016, higher by 5.1 percent compared to five million in the previous year.
While the share of employment in tourism industries to total employment in the country was recorded in 12.8 percent in 2016.
"Through the Regional Travel Fair, we are opening and providing opportunities for those working in domestic tourism to develop a more robust and cohesive approach to the sector, which in turn will grow business," the Board said.
For this leg, at least 55 sellers and 35 buyers from the travel trade sector, government agencies and local government units are joining the Regional Trade Fair.
The first leg was participated by 55 buyers and 59 sellers, while 35 buyers and 44 sellers joined the second leg.
