THE Tourism Week in Bacolod City opened Tuesday with various activities at the New Government Center.

The World Tourism Organization has declared September as Tourism Month. This year’s theme is “Tourism for All, Promoting Universal Accessibility.”

Councilor Em Ang, chair of committee on tourism, said Bacolod is promoting the city to encourage more tourists to visit especially this coming MassKara Festival.

“There are several tourist destinations in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod, that we should be proud of,” she said.

Bacolod still needs to improve its infrastructures, including hotels, to accommodate more tourists.

The opening rites was led by Ang and other city councilors with City

Administrator John Orola, cluster head for tourism Benjie Torre, and tourism operations officer Ma. Elma Gerasmo.

Activities lined up from September 13 to 17 include photo exhibit and tourism food fair at the Government Center lobby; tourism quiz bee for elementary and high school participants; tour guiding and tourist police services; and tourism fashion runway.

On Thursday, the Tourism Office will hold the “Tourism is a friend” activity with a resource speakers Ma. Hellen de la Vega, assistant secretary and director general Asean-Philippines National Secretariat of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Benito Bengzon, undersecretary tourism and development of Department of Tourism; and Rene Cortum, senior supervising tourism officer of DOT Region 6.