Saturday, May 05, 2007 Food fair helps promote tourism By Andrea S. Pineda UP Mass Comm Intern
HIGHLIGHTING tourism and entrepreneurship, this year’s Cebu Business Month (CBM) features the different delicacies of local government units (LGUs) in the three-day Food Festival.
Festival tents of the different municipalities in Cebu dotted the South Surface Parking Area of Ayala Center Cebu, as they opened to the public during the opening salvo of CBM 2007.
Allan Aquino, marketing assistant of Ayala Center Cebu, said the aim of the festival is to showcase what Cebu has to offer to tourists.
Exhibits from Alcoy, Bantayan Island, Dumanjug, Argao, Talisay, Santander, Catmon, Compostela, Mandaue City and Cebu City showcased local delicacies, such as tostados, budbod kabog and bibingka.
Festivals and the tourism growth in Cebu have greatly benefited their businesses, generating sales and employment, which contribute to the economic growth of the LGUs.
Events, such as the CBM and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, also help them get free marketing blitz, Mandaue Tourism Officer Dinah Dejoras said.
“Our delicacies help boost tourism and vice versa,” she added.
However, with the increase in the prices of some ingredients, Raul Abarcar, an exhibitor for Compostela, said sales of their cheese products have dipped.
“Daghang turista, kusog gyud ang business,” said Rodel Tabunda, a tostado-maker from Santander (More tourists, means higher sales).
He won the 2nd Tostado Cooking Contest during the Tostado Festival last May.
Drivers
CCCI president Francis Monera said the theme “Let’s Go Cebu!” focuses on three economic drivers—tourism, information technology and entrepreneurship.
Businessman Jay Aldeguer said medium and small-scale industries not only promote tourism in each LGU but also help promote entrepreneurship.
“We are ready to keep them become their own entrepreneurs, to help them improve their services, their products, their pricing, and also to understand that they are part of the tourism industry, whether they are into foods and handicrafts,” he had said.
The food festival will be open to public until tomorrow.
