ANGELES CITY, Pampanga, November 5, 2012-The 2012 edition of the annual exposition that showcases the rich culture and tradition, distinctive products and picturesque locations of Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera is slated from November 9-11 at Marquee Mall in Angeles City.
According to the Department of Tourism (DOT) Central Luzon, the 3rd North Philippines (NorthPhil) Tourism and Travel Expo will be bannered by the pavilions of the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac; Clark Development Corporation, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; DOT Regional Offices 1,2,3 and CAR; and corporate booths of various tourism-related businesses such as hotels, resorts and airlines.
Aside from the expo, the three-day affair will also have theatrical cultural presentations, corporate game shows, product presentations, raffle draws, and crafts and culinary demonstrations.
In a statement, DOT Central Luzon director Ronnie Tiotuico said “the annual expo was conceived to solidify North Philippines as an international tourism hub.”
Tiotuico disclosed “our major destinations alone accounted for 14 percent of the country’s total foreign and domestic tourist volume last year.”
Its top spots are Ilocos Norte, Cagayan province, Zambales and Baguio city.
Tiotuico attributed the surge in tourist arrivals to the construction of the 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA). (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)
