DoT to hold austere ‘Nat’l Tourism Week’ celebration

The nation will celebrate the annual National Tourism Week on Sept. 20-27, not with the usual grandeur and extravagance of past years, but with simple yet meaningful activities.

In lieu of the austere measures issued by Malacañang, the Department of Tourism (DoT) has decided to tone down this year’s celebration, but has still lined up various activities for the participation of the public and even its employees.

“The fact that the country is faced with fiscal deficit should not hinder us from promoting tourism. It should be a challenge for us to do more with less. We should work harder with whatever resources we have for the country’s tourism development. This annual celebration is one way of doing it,” said Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano.

The week-long event, celebrated every third week of September coincides with the World Tourism Day on Sept. 27.

Anchored on the theme “Sports and Tourism: Living Forces for Mutual Understanding, Culture and the Development of Society,” this year’s NTW aims to highlight the collective benefits of sports and tourism to the community and society. In general, it aims to project and promote the country as a unique, multi-faceted and wholesome tourist destination.

Activities lined up include photo exhibits, free clinic of Filipino martial arts such as arnis and sikaran, variety show, tiangge at the DoT building featuring merchandise sold by DoT employees, and sports olympics to be participated in by DoT employees.

A photo exhibit titled “Sports Tourism in the Philippines” and “Pinoy Ako! Laro ko to!” is open for public viewing during weekdays until Oct. 1 at the DoT Kalaw Gate Lobby. It is a project of the Society of Tourism Photographers (STP) in collaboration with the DoT, Philippine Tourism Authority and the Philippine Indigenous Games and Sports Association, Inc.

The exhibit aims to develop and promote the country as an ideal venue for both popular sports and native games such as golf, surfing, sipa, piko and sungka.

To drum up interest in these native games, the Philippine Tourism Authority will hold a free martial arts clinic featuring arnis and sikaran. They will also host a “Palarong Pinoy” with a variety show on Sept. 26 at the DoT steps fronting Valencia Circle.

A photo exhibit on the country’s best dive spots and beaches will also be mounted on Sept. 20-27 at the Eastwood City Mall by the Philippine Commission on Sports and Scuba Diving Commission.

Meanwhile, the public can drop by the DoT Building for an early Christmas bazaar. The “Tiangge sa Turismo” provides DoT employees the chance to earn extra income by selling their merchandise. Tiangge is available until Sept. 30.

During the week-long celebration, the entire DoT family and tourism industry partners from the private sector will have a two-day relaxing break from their work and engage in fun and friendly games and competitions with the “Turismolympics 2004.”

Finally, the public will be treated to free or discounted entrance to various museums in the metropolis and other regions from Sept. 20-27.