THE Bacolod City Council approved a resolution requesting Mayor Evelio Leonardia to convene the Tourism Board pursuant to City Ordinance (CO) No. 370 Series of 2004.

The resolution was authored by Councilor Israel Salanga, chairperson of the City Council committee on tourism.

Salanga said CO No. 370 or an ordinance providing for the rules and regulations governing the establishment, operation and maintenance of all tourism-oriented and tourism-related business in Bacolod City was passed June 24, 2004, to ensure the efficient and effective operations and maintenance of tourism-oriented and tourism-related establishments, facilities and/or services in or based in Bacolod City.

He said there are ongoing constructions of a number of tourism-related establishments and parks in other parts of the city that may open up this year or early next year.

ìIt is necessary to convene the Tourism Board of Bacolod City to make sure that the operations of all tourism-oriented and tourism-related establishments are globally competitive and to promote tourism development and investments in the City,î he added.

Salanga noted that Article 17 of CO 370 created the Tourism Board to regulate the standard of operations of all tourism-related establishments in the City and to ratify all certificate of registration given to the said establishments.

Salanga disclosed that there is a remarkable increase of tourism-related establishments in the City where there are already more than 72 existing tourism-related establishments, with 3,062 rooms operating on the current year.