Art tourism cometh

Monday, February 28, 2011

THERE’S medical tourism, eco-tourism, and now art tourism.

Finally, after the tourism industry underwent so much repackaging to attract the taste of every traveler who visits our country, art has found another purpose.

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It has entered into the picture as an effective tool to invite tourists so they could immerse themselves in the life and culture of our island paradise.

A new player in the business of merging art and tourism is Norwegian Norman Bjorn. He runs the tourist assistance agency City Partners Cebu.

Bjorn’s local outfit based in Cebu City has counterpart office in Oslo, Norway, that promotes Cebu as a destination for Scandinavian tourists.

Locally, Bjorn has partnered with painter Celso Pepito to come up with a solo exhibit as a launching of the project in early February. The venue of the show was three condominium units at Sharnica Suites converted into an art gallery with living quarters to accommodate tourists Bjorn will bring from the Scandinavian region, like Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

Sharnica Suites is located along V. Rama Ave., Guadalupe (some 50 meters before reaching the church).

This is another first in the art community. Art this time will be the treasured loot for the Vikings who will arrive as tourists.