LA TRINIDAD, Benguet- – The local government here will celebrate Tourism Week last week of September with the theme “Tourism and the Digital Transformation.”
Mayor Romeo Salda said the tourism event set from September 24-29 aims to showcase the town’s products, tourism activities, services and development.
The week-long activities include Tourism Products and Services Exhibits/Displays, Tourism Photography and Art Exhibits on Sept. 24-27 at the Municipal Gym; Amateur Photo Contest and Digital Photo Competition on Sept. 25; Seminar on Production of Competitive Portfolios related to tourism on Sept. 26 at the Municipal Gym; 2018 Tourism Conference and awarding of tourism oriented barangay and businesses on Sept. 27 at the Municipal Gym; Music Concert and Fashion Show on Sept. 27 at the Municipal Gym, and Eco-Kulturamazing Race and Environmental Forum at the Lednicky Hall, Municipal Hall.
La Trinidad is known as the “Strawberry Capital” of the country and its strawberry farms and its environs are frequently visited by tourists. Strawberry which is its one-town-one product has a share in the economy which is about more than P100 million including activities involved and its by-products, according to Municipal Tourism Officer Valred Olsim.
Other tourist destinations include the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center, newly located orchidarium, the Benguet State University, La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post, STOBOSA, Chinese Bell Church, Kallugong, Mt. Yangbew, Bahong cutlflower farms, Mt. Costa, and agri-learning sites like Cosmic Organic Farms, Lily of the Valley, Master’s Garden, and Strawberry Under the Garden.
With the belief that tourism is an engine for economic development, Councilor Roderick Awingan said measures to infuse and institutionalize programs, projects and activities on tourism should be in place. The institutionalization of Tourism Week is still on second reading in the council but Awingan has already introduced a number of local legislations such as the Strawberry Festival, Coffee Festival, Farm Tourism, among others. **PIA Benguet
