2nd International Travel Fair set in Cebu on July 10 to 12

Event organizer MyEventology Co. has announced the holding of the 2nd International Travel Fair (ITF) in Cebu on July 10 to 12, bringing in new destinations and over a hundred travel and tourism exhibitors.

Organizers also raised their sales projection as they target to double this year’s number of exhibitors from 60 in the first ITF ast year to 120 this year.

The first ITF raked in combined sales of PHP70 million from cash and credit card receipts.

“The ITF 2014 did not disappoint the consumers or our supportive exhibitors,” said Stephanie Villahermosa, executive director of My Eventology Co.

She said the event itself stimulated productivity in what they call lean months in the travel and tourism industry --- June, July, October and mid-November.

The travel festival also opened opportunities for locals to travel around the Philippines and overseas at good deals, she said.

Batanes and Palawan were the popular destinations last year while many locals flew to South Korea for international travel.

The event also drew inquiries for travel in as far as Europe.

Villahermosa projects Japan to be the popular destination this year for international travel while the event will welcome the addition of new destinations like Zamboanga and Soccsksargen, which covers South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani and General Santos City, on top on the usual destinations like Batanes, Palawan, Bohol and Boracay.

Carrying the theme “Widen Your World,” ITF 2015 will be held at the Ayala Center Cebu.

Organizers said the event is a “unique platform” that invites local and foreign visitors to travel around the Philippines and overseas at discounted deals of up to 80 percent.

The travel fair is expected to draw participation from the different national tourism organizations, financial institutions, tourism related service-providers and various operators like themed parks, cruises, travel insurance firms, airlines, hotel and resorts, travel agents and tour operators. (PNA) FFC/EB

Paoay Lake offers alternative water sports activities for tourists

Following a massive clean-up and tree planting around the legendary Paoay lake in Ilocos Norte, the 387-hectare lake awaits local and foreign tourists this summer with various water sports activities it offers from dusk to dawn.

The lake with a perfect viewdeck at Nagbacalan village offers a breathtaking natural landscape overlooking the Malacanang of the North, now turned into a presidential museum of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos. A few steps below are paddle boats where tourists can take a boat ride around the lake while enjoying its serenity along with various migratory birds that frequently visit the area.

Once teeming with fish cages and threatened by waste pollution, local officials and residents here bolt in to bring back the lush green forest and clean water they used to enjoy at the lake.

In support of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte’s tourism development master plan, fish cage operators along the lake were advised to engage in inland tilapia culture instead.

The local government unit of Paoay led by mayor Dolores Clemente has recognized the need to properly manage the lake not just for tourism purposes but most importantly, to make use of water wisely.

Aside from being an important fishery resource for the local communities here, the lake also supplies irrigation water to the Baay Irrigation System and the Diaz Irrigation System which serves at least 300 vegetable farmers.

Declared as a natural park, the lake is included in the list of the country’s remaining protected areas. To date, the management of the Paoay Lake Natural Park is shared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR ) and the Department of Tourism (DOT). Meanwhile, the Protected Areas and Management Board oversees the management and allocation of resource uses of the lake.(PNA)FPV/LGA