local tourism – Author Carlo Carrasco

Flavors of NCR 2024 was a blast of delicacies, discoveries and fun

April 23, 2024April 22, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently Muntinlupa City hosted the 2024 edition of the Flavors of NCR food festival at the Filinvest City Central Park in Alabang and I personally witnessed the formal opening ceremony which involved many high-level officials and special guests. A lot of people visited the food festival on April 19 and 20 which added to the credibility of Filinvest City Central Park as a suitable open-air venue for special events.

For the newcomers reading this, Flavors of NCR is a special event presented by the Association of Tourism Officers – NCR which collaborated with the City Government of Muntinlupa for this year’s event. It is a showcase of unique cuisine found in the sixteen cities and one municipality of the National Capital Region (NCR). The local government units (LGUs) that participated include: Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela, and the Municipality of Pateros.

Event launch

The ribbon cutting led by high officials that include Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano (3rd from left), Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon (3rd from right) and Department of Tourism-NCR Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin (2nd from left) to name a few.

The opening ceremony of Flavors of NCR 2024 was attended by Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, Department of Tourism-NCR Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin, Association of Tourism Officers-NCR headed by Manila City Tourism chief Charlie Dungo, and Pasay City chief of staff Peter Eric Pardo. Also present were Muntinlupa Vice Mayor Temy Simundac and Muntinlupa City Council Raul Corro.

“We are delighted to host the Flavors of NCR,” Mayor Biazon stated during his welcome remarks to all the guests. “(We acknowledge) the presence of other cities here so that their products will be showcased and we are proud to have you here.”

Biazon stressed that hosting the Flavors of NCR opens up opportunities for Metro Manila’s LGUs and their respective food-and-beverage stakeholders access to the Calabarzon region composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon with a collective population of over sixteen million people.

It should be noted that the Alabang area of Muntinlupa is a popular destination for Calabarzon residents as well as those from nearby cities who enjoy shopping and recreational activities during the weekend. That being said, Flavors of NCR fits nicely with the weekend vibe at Filinvest City.

After the formal ribbon-cutting was done, Flavors of NCR 2024 officially opened and a lot of people and photographers followed Biazon and the guests visit the different food booths of each city.

Each LGU and their best

I visited and explored the designated areas (also referred to as “booths”) of each LGU during the food festival. Each area had a different style of interiors and layouts of food, drinks and other products being offered to visitors. There were also chairs and tables present for those who need to seat down and eat. Check out my raw YouTube videos plus pictures below…

*Native delicacies on display for sale at the Las Piñas City booth.*

*Burger patties being cooked at the Mandaluyong City area.*

*Delicious halo-halo from Aling Consuelo Halo-Halo sa Ugbo. This was sold at P100 each.*

*Marikina City had four sellers that attracted customers during the food festival.*

*Drinks, dessert and other stuff offered to customers at the Las Piñas City booth.*

Flavors of NCR was indeed a true showcase of what local businesses per LGU has to offer. Manila had halo-halo sold by Aling Consuelo Halo-Halo Sa Ugbo, Las Piñas City had Bea’s Home of Quality Kakanin and Other Native Delicacies selling native delights, Quezon City had Papa Diddi’s Handcrafted Ice Cream for those wanting something cold and sweet, Mandaluyong City had Ben’s Burjer for customers who love hot burgers, Marikina City had Mang Ding’s BBQ and Nanay Ipang’s Everlasting, and so on.

As expected, the variety of food and drinks were really great. Offered to customers were chicken, beef, pork, siomai, barbeque, puto, bibingka, pansit, siopao, fried chicken, roasted pig, pastries, cakes, halo-halo and ice cream to name some. There were also non-food products being sold such as bags and accessories in some booths.

*Sea food and other food items being sold at the Parañaque City booth.*

*Fried chicken being prepared for customers.*

*The best of Muntinlupa City offered to customers.*

*Food and bags for sale inside the booth of Malabon City.*

It was really nice to see these small businesses represent their locality and offered their best products to visitors at Filinvest City Central Park. Adding zest to the food festival were some performances by different bands from the cities of NCR. There also was a modern dance activity that drew in lots of visitors which added to the customers at the food festival.

Conclusion

The 2024 edition of Flavors of NCR at Filinvest City Central Park was indeed a nice showcase of what each LGU had to offer for those who love food and drinks. In addition, this festival really emphasized unity between the local governments of NCR and it also promoted local tourism. The festival also attracted some residents of Filinvest City’s residential towers (plus others from Ayala Alabang, Palms Pointe Village and other residential communities) and some employees (who worked at offices near the park) whose shifts ended.

In the perspective of tourism, this event really boosted Filinvest City Central Park’s status as a venue for special events or activities. To date, the said park continues to be an attraction for visitors and already it has been used by organizers of sports events and musical events.

The successful staging of Flavors of NCR could inspire food festival organizers to have their events held within Filinvest City in the future.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: Were you able to attend Flavors of NCR at the central park in Filinvest City? If you did, how was your experience? Do you wish to see another food festival to be held at Filinvest City Central Park soon?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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Ambitious resort, casino and convention center to rise inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone

March 26, 2024March 15, 2024carlocarrasco

An ambitious resort, casino and convention center inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone will rise in the near future, according to a news report by The Manila Times.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from The Manila Times news report. Some parts in boldface…

A world-class $300-million convention center, resort and casino will soon rise at the country’s premier freeport to further boost the tourism industry in the region.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño spearheaded the groundbreaking ceremony for the Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino Inc. at the Bravo building compound of Subic International Hotel on Thursday, March 14.

“In a couple of years, the Ibis Styles and Mercure Hotels, which is affiliated with the Accor International Group, will be operating a world class integrated leisure and convention center in Subic Bay, which will be the very first integrated resort casino and hotel complex in the freeport,” Aliño said.

Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino Chairman and President Pablo Edgardo Puyat, meanwhile, said the operations are anticipated to begin in 2025.

“Both the Ibis Styles Subic and Mercure Subic are in the company’s economy and midscale segments, respectively. Ibis Styles Subic is set to open in 2026 and is the first internationally branded hotel in Subic,” he said.

Ibis Styles Subic will offer 175 rooms and will feature amenities such as a swimming pool, meeting space, and a gym.

Ibis Styles is an economy hotel brand focused on in-style stays while the Mercure is a French midscale hotel brand, with both brands owned by Accor International Group. The Ibis Styles and Mercure Hotels are just part of the initial phase of the project.

Mercure Subic, set to open in 2026, will offer 250 rooms and be the second internationally branded hotel in the area. It is located adjacent to Ibis Styles Subic.

“A world-class integrated leisure and convention center will be constructed in progressive phases, encompassing a six-hectare property that will feature an integrated resort casino complex and five-star resort hotels,” Puyat added.

He said that aside from the convention center and exhibition hall, the area will also have duty-free shops, dormitels, carpark, hotel and recreation center, Americana complex, Americana seaside clubhouse, American country club, and the New Dragon Restaurant.

Aliño also said that the additional facilities inside the freeport will attract more tourists because they will now have luxury hotels to stay in.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think this development will help solve the lack of hotel rooms inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone? Do you look forward to the announced amenities as well as new duty free shops?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Local analysts say Philippine tourism’s recovery is still lacking

February 10, 2024February 4, 2024carlocarrasco

As far as the chief economists of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and China Banking Corp. are concerned, the recovery of Philippine tourism is still lacking and a lot more needs to be done which includes relying on tourists from China, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…

THE RECOVERY of the tourism market lags the rest of the region due to infrastructure constraints and the slow rebound of visitor arrivals from China, analysts said.

Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the Philippines’ tourism performance was lagging even before the pandemic.

“There has been a lot of catching up since the pandemic and also even before the pandemic with other ASEAN or Asian neighboring countries,” Mr. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

“This is largely due to infrastructure constraints that limit the capacity of airports and accommodation and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, & exhibitions) facilities to cater to a much larger number of foreign tourists,” he added.

In 2023, the Philippines logged 5.4 million international visitors which is only 65% of the 8.24 million foreign arrivals seen in 2019, but at par with the 65% average within Asia and the Pacific.

Mr. Ricafort said upgrades are needed to airports, particularly the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which will share future traffic to and from the capital with the Bulacan and Sangley airports.

“There is a need as well as for integrated tour packages that will be cheaper and more convenient to attract more foreign tourists,” he said.

“There is also a need for more mass transport systems such as railways that are integrated into major airports to make it more convenient for local and foreign tourists to travel,” he added.

China Banking Corp. Chief Economist Domini S. Velasquez said slow growth can be attributed to geographical constraints and absence of Chinese tourists.

“The Philippines lags behind its other ASEAN neighbors in terms of tourist arrivals, which can be attributed partly to geographical constraints, as the country cannot be accessed by land,” Ms. Velasquez said in a Viber message.

“However, another factor contributing to the below-target numbers, especially during the pandemic, is the absence of Chinese tourists,” she added.

Before the pandemic, China was the country’s second top source of international arrivals after South Korea. However, China only ranked fifth last year.

South Korea remained the top source of international visitors accounting for 26.41%, followed by the US (16.57%), Japan (5.61%), Australia (4.89%), and China (4.84 %).

“The sluggish growth and high unemployment in China have hindered the phenomenon known as “revenge travel,” wherein Chinese tourists typically exhibit strong travel demand. As a result, the expected influx of Chinese tourists has been limited,” Ms. Velasquez said.

Mr. Ricafort said the Philippines has strong potential in further growing the tourism economy with much room to improve in many elements of the product offering.

“The tourism business is low-hanging fruit that can generate more business, employment, and other economic activities as a major source of growth or a bright spot for the economy,” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you agree with the analysts’ findings as to why Philippine tourism is still lacking and what should be done to improve it? Do you think the Department of Tourism (DOT) should focus more on attracting tourists from other nations instead of depending so much on China? What do you think are the five biggest problems of Philippine tourism right now? Do you think the DOT should be more active in promoting local film festivals, fashion shows, sports events and food tours to foreigners?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippines wins big at the 2024 ASEAN Tourism Awards thanks to three cities and many stakeholders

February 10, 2024February 3, 2024carlocarrasco

In the 2024 edition of the ASEAN Tourism Awards held recently in Laos, the Philippines won big as three cities and more than twenty stakeholders won honors, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

Three cities and 21 tourism stakeholders from the Philippines have been recognized during the 2024 ASEAN Tourism Standard Awards in Vientiane, Laos.

The awarding ceremony was one of the activities in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 which ran from Jan. 22 to 27, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said in a news release on Wednesday.

The cities of Baguio in Benguet, Ilagan in Isabela, and Tabuk in Kalinga were awarded as the ASEAN Clean Tourist City, the Department of Tourism

According to ASEAN Tourism Standards, these are the areas where the flow of visitors and where cultural, natural and/or man-made attractions exist.

Prime Properties Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Club Paradise Palawan, Bohol Beach Club, Seda Nuvali, and The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay won the ASEAN Green Hotel Award.

This citation is given to hotel industry players whose operations are based on the achievement of sustainable tourism through environment-friendly principles, human resource development, resource consumption reduction, and local community involvement.

About 15 Philippine venues were given the ASEAN Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition (MICE) Venue Awards granted to physical spaces with quality facilities and impressive services, designed and provided for MICE activities with purposes for meetings, exhibitions, and events.

The major criteria for the awards encompass the standards of physical aspects, venue management, and people working within venues that competitively meet the requirements of MICE travelers. It is divided into three categories: room, exhibition venue, and event venue category.

Properties Bai Hotel Cebu, Clark Marriott Hotel, Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort, Princesa Garden Island Resort & Spa, Seda Hotel Nuvali won the meeting room category; World Trade Center Metro Manila (Manila Exposition Complex), SMX Convention Center Manila, Cordillera Convention Hall by Baguio Country Club, Isabela Convention Center (ICON), and Iloilo Convention Center won the exhibition hall category; and Palacio del Sur by Marcian Group, Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark Cebu, Infinity Garden by Baguio Country Club, CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center, Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa by Modern Asia, Inc. were named as the winners for the event venue category.

Meantime, Palawan-based property Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort was named as a lead partner for “Enchanting Gastronomical Sabang Delights, Beach Forest and Caves” under the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the winners made not only significant revenue contributions but also employed millions of Filipinos.

“These achievements reflect not only the excellence and dedication that you have put in with the development of tourism but also contribute significantly to the overall advancement and sustainability of the ASEAN tourism industry,” she said.

A total of 192 ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards were given to the member countries.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you delighted with the many awards the Philippines won at the ASEAN Tourism Awards? If you are running a local business that benefits from the inflow of tourists, does this development encourage you to move your business deeper into the tourism industry? Do you consider the Philippines more competitive with its Southeast Asian neighbors when it comes to tourism?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Department of Tourism (DOT) hopes to surpass P1.5 trillion in domestic tourism revenue this year

January 23, 2024January 15, 2024carlocarrasco

While 2023 turned out successful for Philippine tourism in terms of foreign tourist statistics, the Department of Tourism (DOT) recently started focusing on domestic tourists hoping to attract a massive amount of revenue coming from them this year, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of GMA Network. Some parts in boldface…

Due to the performance of various tourism sectors last year, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco is confident of the Philippines prospects for 2024, as shared in an interview over Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

‘“Yung sa international visitor receipt, lumagpas tayo sa ‘P482.5 billion pesos na napunta sa ating ekonomiya because of our foreign visitors… We hope to be able to surpass the P1.5 trillion pesos domestic visitors receipt na napunta sa ating ekonomiya noong 2022”, Franco said.

Tourism-related employment created 5 million jobs nationwide, Frasco said.

For the new year, the tourism secretary said her marching orders from President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. is the enhancement of overall tourist experience.

“Gusto natin na masaya ang mga turista. Maramdaman nila ang love, warmth of the Filipino people at tsaka ‘yung convenience sa pag-travel,” said the secretary who hails from Cebu, a major travel destination.

Based on feedback, one concrete step is the construction of 18 tourist rest areas that will provide clean public restrooms.

The DOT head’s confidence is buoyed by the combination of numbers resulting from both international and domestic tourists.

“‘Yung domestic tourism natin has been massively successful especially in our regions, provinces, cities and municipalities across the country”, she said.

In 2023, the DOT announced that 5.45 million international tourists visited the country, exceeding its targets.

For preferred tourist destinations, Frasco said Cebu has always been a favorite as well as Palawan, Boracay, Siargao Metro Manila and Batangas.

On top of the tourism staples, the DOT chief said her agency will also work to promote and develop emerging and lesser known destinations to provide opportunities under the Philippine Experience Program. The approach would be to highlight an area’s heritage, culture and arts as well as the discovery of delicacies, festivals and communities.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT will be able to motivate people around the country to engage in domestic tourism and spend a good amount of money on accommodations, travel, restaurants, gifts and the like? Do you think the DOT should cooperate more with local government units (LGUs) as well as provincial governments to emphasize local tourism?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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