THE staging of the 32nd Kadayawan Festival is seen to help boost the Davao City's tourism industry, which has taken a blow after the declaration of Martial Law and the ongoing crisis in Marawi City.
"Kadayawan is a major tourist event in Mindanao. Through the festival, we can show to the tourists what they can find in Davao City," said Department of Tourism-Davao regional director Roberto Alabado III in an interview with SunStar Davao at the sidelines of the 32nd Kadayawan Festival launch on Monday, July 3, at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao.
Alabado said Davao City has gaining more interest for it being the hometown of President Rodrigo Dutrete and with the upcoming Kadayawan Festival, they are expecting more people to visit the city.
He said the early launch of the 32nd Kadayan Festival will give enough time for tourists to plan their trips to Davao City.
Alabado said historically, during the Kadayawan Festival, the hotels in the city would be fully booked.
He said they are also expecting more tourists to come as this year's Kadayawan will feature some new and returnig events like the Kadayawan Village, Bantawan Nightly, Habi Kadayawan, and Tunog Kadayawan, among others.
"Kadayawan has always been a major festival in the Philippines. We are expecting that with this early launch the information campaign to invite the people to attend will be fruitful," Alabado said.
The 32nd Kadayan Festival had an early launch on Monday at the Marco Polo Hotel. The City government promises for a bigger and grander Kadayawan Festival this year.
"Magpadayon gihapon ang atoang selebrasyon sa Kadayawan despite ngadunay declaration of martial law for Mindanao, dili man pwede na atong life will be put on hold because of problems because kung ingon ana we will never live (The celebration of Kadayawan will continue despite the declaration of martial law in Mindanao. Our lives cannot be put on hold because of problems because if we are like that we will never live)," said Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio during the launch.