THE entire Central Luzon and its two international freeport zones are joining the forthcoming North Philippines (NorthPhil) Tourism and Travel Expo 2009, further affirming the event's national, international and regional character.

The provinces of Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac, including the Clark and Subic Freeport zones, are putting up their respective pavilions at the NorthPhil Expo to showcase their tourism attractions, cuisine, culture and heritage, while, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales are bringing their contingents to enhance the event's colorful and spectacular opening extravaganza.

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Slated at the SM City Clark on November 13 to 15, the NorthPhil Expo 2009 features a grand exhibit of the best cultural, historical, environmental and natural attractions and destinations of Northern Luzon and other parts of the Philippines as an international tourism showcase.

"This event will bring both national and international attention to North Philippines as a global gateway to the rest of the archipelago since direct flights from other countries to the international airports in this region are available, facilitating easy connection for both inbound and outbound travelers. Thus, the event will gather, not only the region's major industry players, but also end-consumers and members of the global travel trade and other allied sectors," said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

"The NorthPhil Expo will also enable the exhibitors to meet potential partners and clients from the government and business sectors, including institutional and individual end-consumers who constitute the event's thousands of visitors," Durano added.

This year's event is also participated by the Sabah Tourism Board as well as Golden Suria Travel and Tours from Malaysia and Asiana Airlines. The event will have for its main attraction the tourism exhibit which will showcase the existing and emerging destinations and attractions that will offer quality and affordable tour packages to both corporate buyers and individual consumers. Among the exhibitors from the private sector are Cebu Pacific, Enchanted Kingdom, Holiday Inn Clark, Hotel Euroasia, Hotel Vida, Lewis Grand Hotel, Microtel Hotels and Resorts, Oasis Hotel, Puerto Del Sol, Punta Riviera Resort, Red Coconut Boracay, Resorts World Manila, Sun Cruises Corregidor, The Lakeshore Estate, The Legend Palawan, Thunderbird Resorts, White Rock, Zest Air and Zoobic Zafari, among others. Key cities like Calapan, Dagupan Olongapo, Puerto Princesa, and Tarlac are also participating in the three-day event.

The event will also gain optimum exposure to the massive visitor traffic in SM City Clark, which has a land area of 17 hectares, total gross floor area of 100,000 square meters, and over 300 shops and restaurants being frequented by thousands of consumers and tourist daily.

The Clark Freeport Zone itself, previously a US Air Force case in Angeles City, is a famous tourism hub with its own world-class international airport, golf course and many other attractions.

Linked to Clark via a first-class expressway is the Subic Bay Freeport, a former US naval base and now a special economic zone and tourism destination. Both Clark and Subic are international gateways to various parts of North and Central Luzon.

Now known as the premier tourism and travel marketing event in North Philippines for the entire archipelago and other countries in Asia Pacific, the NorthPhil Expo is supported by the Philippine Tourism Authority, Clark Development Corp., Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac as sponsors, and the Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror, Sun Star Pampanga, Punto Central Luzon, CLTV 36 and Bayan Productions as media partners.

The event is being organized by the regional offices of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Ilocandia (Region 1), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3) and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR).

The invited visitors are business and trade organizations, conference and convention organizers foreign and local buyers, educational institutions, international and domestic travelers, travel agents and tour operators, tour organizers and planners, tourism associations and offices and the general public. (Press release)