THE ongoing 31st Negros Trade Fair at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City serves as a platform to showcase new tourism products and services of Negros Occidental.
Cristine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operations officer, said Wednesday that through the annual trade event, the province is able to highlight the role of tourism in safeguarding biodiversity.
“Considering that Negros’ strength as a destination largely relies on its natural environment, it is important to include efforts on protecting biodiversity in various tourism-related events,” Mansinares said.
Local government units (LGUs) who are joining the provincial team in local tourism promotion during the week-long event are the cities of Silay, Bacolod, San Carlos, and Victorias, she added.
Themed “Biodiversity in Tourism,” this year’s trade fair which opened Wednesday, Sept. 14 will run until Sunday, Sept. 18. It features 110 selling booths, showcasing truly Negros products of more than 100 member-producers of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP).
On Tuesday night, Senator Loren Legarda, Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat along with provincial government officials led by Acting Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the Arima Opening Cocktails.
Mayors Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod City and Mark Andrew Arthur Golez of Silay City were also present during the soft opening rites.
The Arima hosted by the Slow Flood Negros Island gathered some of the finest chefs in the country who are advocating slow food recipes and ingredients.
ANP officials and exhibitors yesterday joined the blessing of booths.
Christina Gaston, president of ANP, said both national and provincial officials have appreciated the value of promoting truly Negros products.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has also signified support to the local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Gaston added.
The trade fair is being highlighted by exhibits and selling of products from various sectors such as food, natural and organic, fashion accessories and garments, furniture and furnishings, gifts, decor, and housewares, and tourism.
Expand membership
Second District Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr., who also attended the event, said national leaders who came encouraged the ANP “to expand the organization's membership by including those in the grassroots level.”
That is the purpose of this trade fair, the board member said.
“If the membership will expand to the grassroots, there is a need for training. If we train people, we need expenses thus, we will also seek help from the national government,” Escalante said.
Among the products on display, various local delicacies were in demand, he added. (with reports from Marchel P. Espina)