THE Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) of Negros Occidental has received more inquiries, particularly on its new tourism offerings, from both local and international buyers during the first Western Visayas International Travel Fair held in SM City Iloilo, which ended Sunday.
Cristine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operations officer, on Monday said that through its participation in the three-day travel fair, the province was able to introduce new tourism products and services.
Among the tourism offerings that have attracted the interest of the participating travel agencies include bird watching in Gawahon Eco Park, Victorias City; artistic diving in Sipalay City and Cauayan; and activities at the Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City.
Organic farm tours, community-based rural tourism package of Sagay City, and cultural houses tour of Silay City were also on the top of the list.
“The tourism industry of Negros Occidental has really gained boost at the International Travel Fair,” Mansinares said, adding that travel operators are currently prioritizing new tourism activities instead of those already existing and established.
The three-day activity gathered key players from the tourism industry from Negros Occidental, Western Visayas, and other regions in the country, as well as from Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan’s international tourism organization.
The travel fair, mainly participated by more than a hundred domestic and international travel agencies, also provided exclusive discounts and packages for both local and global destinations as well as insightful workshops and conferences from tourism organizations.
Mansinares said that a day before the travel fair, delegates engaged in a business-to-business networking session wherein buyers and sellers met and exchanged their products and services.
“We are thankful for the Department of Tourism Region 6 for always considering Negros Occidental in its various tourism development programs although the province is already under the Negros Island Region,” Mansinares said.
For travel operators who want to bring tourists outside of Panay Island, nearby areas mainly Negros Occidental and Guimaras are now among the top options, she added.