THE tourism summit next month will highlight new tourist destinations and products of Negros Occidental.
Tourism Assistant Secretary Daniel Mercado and Interior Undersecretary Jesus Hinlo Jr. will lead the two-day event on May 13 to 14 in Bacolod City, which will be participated by local officials and various stakeholders.
Hinlo said the activity is meant for the local government units in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, to present their tourist destinations to the Department of Tourism (DOT).
“It will also be a time for the DOT to get feedbacks from our LGUs (local government units) on their concerns and request help from the agency,” he said.
Hinlo said representatives from travel agencies will be invited to the event.
A summit for Negros Oriental will also be set, Hinlo added.
For her part, Provincial Tourism Officer Cristine Mansinares said the summit is aimed to update new products of Negros Occidental, like crafts, community-based rural tourism, culinary, birdwatching and trekking.
It will promote packages that involve the community, she added.
Moreover, Mansinares said the province is divided into four tourism circuits – metro north, northern, south central and southern.
Metro north is composed of the cities of Bacolod, Talisay and Silay. It offers shopping, entertainment, culinary, and heritage while the northern circuit, which is from E.B. Magalona town down to San Carlos City, highlights nature-based tourism and organic farming.
South central, composed of inland localities like the cities of Bago and La Carlota and La Castellana town, offers activities like trekking at Mount Kanlaon and birdwatching.
The southern tourism circuit, from Pulupandan to Hinobaan, focuses on marine tourism and beaches.
Mansinares said the summit is geared on boosting sites and culture of the province.