Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has appointed former Department of Tourism-Western Visayas regional director Christine Mansinares as special adviser for the city's tourism affairs.

Mansinares was also the previous tourism officer of the Negros Occidental provincial government.

Benitez, who signed the executive order on March 27, said that one of the major priority programs of Bacolod City is to strengthen its tourism programs and advocacies.

He said the challenges of rehabilitation and recovery of the city's tourism industry are a big and complex undertaking that would require advice and assistance from persons with vast experience and knowledge on tourism.

Mansinares' extensive experiences and familiarity in the tourism industry as the previous regional director of the DOT in Region 6 as well as Negros Occidental Tourism Officer will be a big assistance for the city of Bacolod to improve and strengthen its tourism programs and projects, he added.

The appointment of Mansinares is also seen to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of services in the city's tourism sector.*