Launching of Digital Tourism and Kagang Festival 2016 in Dapitan City

By JONG CADION

DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte (Feb.18) --- City Tourism Officer Apple Marie A. Agolong who had just facilitated the launching of the 1st Digital Tourism Project in Mindanao Thursday February 18, 2016 given as a grant by the leader in mobile technology in partnership with INNOPUB.

INNOPUB is also known as a leader in the development of mobile applications Agolong said that there is a need to develop and implement Tourism Management Training Programs for the tourism stakeholders both from the government and private sectors, hospitality service frontlines and other tourism related establishment service crew.

Agolong added that through the latest technology we will be able to establish Dapitan City as Culture of Excellence in tourism services that will define the unique image of the city as a "must experience" cultural destination and as the tourism hub not just of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region but in the entire Mindanao.

Agolong further shared that with the presence and help of Mr. Nilo Agustin and Mr. Frank Rivera in Dapitan City, the existing plans, facilities and programs will be greatly enhanced and improved to meet the standards of what a tourist destination should be.

In an effort to further achieve economic development through tourism, trade and investment, Mayor Rosalina G. Jalosjos and Vice Mayor Ruben E. Cad together with the members of the City Council recently held one day 1st Dapitan City Tourism Stakeholders Forum at the Dapitan City Resort Hotel to embark on a new tourism development thrust called Dapitan City Culture, Arts, Tourism and Heritage Program commencing in January 2016.

With the active involvement and participation of multi-sectoral representations from the socio-civic cultural communities as well as from the government and non-government organizations in the various cultural, arts, tourism, heritage, investment, trade and community service endeavors.to accurately draft a 5 Year Tourism Development Plan which would integrate all the concerns shared by the different sectors that would surely affect Dapitanon's way of living as a result of an increase in tourist arrivals the moment Dapitan will reach its projected target.

The forum is also intended to find a solution to the recent adverse travel advisory issued by some embassies here in our country to their constituents, and develop an integrated marketing program geared towards achieving the city's tourism, trade and investment goals including but not limited to the creation of a communications/public relations plan that can create immediate impact on the positive image of the city, thereby eliminating deterrent factors caused by the issuance of travel advisories..

Dapitan City's local tourism which is deeply anchored on its rich cultural heritage is now a major contributor of the city's economic growth revolving not just to the three major heritage related celebrations namely: the Kinabayo Festival in July, the Founding Anniversary Celebration in November and the Handuraw Festival in December, but to the other monthly activities which are always crowd drawers such as the four other minor festivals, to wit: Kagang Festival which will start today February 19 and will culminate tomorrow February 21, Tuloy Festival in May, World Costume Festival in June and Ulang Festival in November giving the place another branding of "The City of Festivals", the religious activities such as the observance of Lent and Santacruzan,  and the tourism facilities provided for and offered by the private sector  are also among those activities which always draw a huge crowd! There are still a lot of other local, national and international activities that the city hosted and had positively affected local economy, the reason why pension houses and other investments are already sprouting and in place.