ZAMBOANGA CITY - Mayor Celso Lobregat has issued an executive order
declaring the period September 21-27 as Tourism Week in Zamboanga City with the
aim of fostering awareness among the people about the importance of tourism
encompassing its social, cultural, political and economic value.
Executive Order No. CL
469-2012 likewise directs the implementation of various activities in
celebration of the Tourism Week in Zamboanga.
The
celebration will lead up to September 27, designated as International Tourism
Day which will be observed around the globe based on the call of the United
Nations World Tourism Organization.
The
celebration will be themed “Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering
Sustainable Development”.
In
line with this, the City Tourism and Investment Division under the Office of
the Mayor has lined up various activities in observance of Tourism Week in
Zamboanga. These include Libre Paseo, a free tour of the city’s attractions
located at the city proper area from September 21-23; Zamboanga Food Festival
at the Plaza del Pilar from Sept. 21-22 at 5pm; Ayuda Limpiesa Ano 9 at the
main market on Sept. 22 at 8am; and the drum and lyre competition for
elementary level and the culminating program at the Paseo del Mar on Sept. 27
at 4pm.
All
sectors and interested individuals are enjoined to participate in the
forthcoming events. Contact the City Tourism Office at the Paseo del Mar
telephone numbers 992-3007 for more details.
The
tourism industry in Zamboanga has boomed and surged ahead over the last 9
years, as cited in a study of the city’s Business Risk Assessment and
Management of Climate Impacts conducted recently by the World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF)-Philippines and the Bank of Philippine Islands.
Based on the study, tourist arrivals increased by
more than 200% during the last 10 years,
as the number of hotels increased by 250%
and number of hotel rooms grew by 76%. (JPA/SC/CIO/PIA9-ZBST)