Hotels, food business top earners in Dinagyang '08
Hotels, restaurants and small food business in the city earned at least P750 million during the week-long Dinagyang celebration. The country's best tourism event drew some 1.5 million visitors mostly local tourists.
Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) executive director Ben Jimena estimated that at least one tourist spent some P10,000 during their stay in Iloilo. They spent on their hotels, food, "pasalubong" and other fun-related activities.
Dinagyang is a yearly celebration in honor of Señor Sto. Niño. Through the years, the religiosity of the event was mixed with economics and profit.
The food festival sponsored by the Iloilo Hotels Restaurant and Resorts Association (IHRRA) in Delgado Street, City Proper generated profit among the restaurant owners. The IHRRA-sponsored food festival was held for one week. It gathered enough customers aside from the different packages offered by each hotel and restaurant.
Money also changed hand between the customers and food stall owners for the past three days, which is from Friday until Sunday. People enjoyed eating at the food festival area while listening to the different bands. Different hotels also came up with their own meal package to those customers who do not want to stay and eat their meals at the food festival area.
According to Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Edwin Trompeta, majority of the tourists that flocked to the city are local tourists. Local tourists comprised bulk of the tourist arrivals because of their proximity to the place. "Local tourists comprised 95 percent of the arrivals while five percent are foreign tourists."
Trompeta added that the city has to resolve the "accommodation" of the foreign tourists in the city. Hotels here must cater to the needs and meet the standards of the foreign tourists.
The foreign tourists who witnessed the festival were those who are already in the country and they came all the way from Boracay, Cebu and Manila. Foreign tourists took advantage of their presence in the Philippines and watched the celebration, said Trompeta.
There is also a need for a direct trip from Iloilo to other Asian countries for an easy access to the city. Dinagyang is already an event to watch not only in the country but also to the other neighboring countries.
Innovations for more world-class activities such as the dragon boat competition to encourage tourist especially those from China, Taiwan and Singapore, said Trompeta.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jerry Treñas was elated with the success of the recent celebration. "Dinagyang 2008 is really beyond my wildest expectations. I have never imagined that Dinagyang has gone this far."
Treñas said all the visitors were ecstatic about the performance. The success of the celebration is a manifestation of the unity both from the government and private sectors. It is a community effort pooled by the organizers and participants.
The mayor recognized the effort of the private group particularly the participants and organizers of the Luces in the Sky. The three-hour competition was participated by 16 participants. The fireworks contest was organized by SM City, Philippine Fireworks Manufacturers and Dealers Association and supported by the IDFI. The first prize winner was the group from Dumaguete.
Traffic was stalled because of the number of people who witnessed the fireworks contest. The whole stretch of San Rafael, Tabucan, Diversion and vacant places near the venue was filled with people from all walks of life, said Treñas.