Bohol to fine-tune fiesta package prior to launch

CEBU, Philippines - While the newly conceptualized "Fiesta Package" tour of Bohol has started to gain the interest of travelers, the Bohol provincial government will still do some fine tuning to its implementation process before it could be officially launched.

"We still have to re-orient the municipal tourism officers or MTOs in this program and this may take time," said Bohol Provincial Tourism Council Inc. executive director Emmylou Palacio-Noel in an interview yesterday.

The Island province of Bohol moved to capitalize on its fiesta celebrations as another attraction to further invite both foreign and domestic tourists.

The concept will involve the 47 towns of the province, whose economy is driven largely by tourism.

The "Fiesta Package", according to Noel might be officially launched next year, because the province still has to make adjustments and conduct re-orientations.

Part of its good culture of tourism reputation, Bohol will again make another breakthrough in community tourism sphere, by capitalizing on their way of celebrating fiesta in every town or even barangay in the province.

This is to add to the already known tourist destination favorites and popular festivals of the province.

This means that the communities will participate actively in turning their barangay or town fiesta as tourist sensations by hosting a group of visitors to a whole-year fiesta culture of Bohol showcasing the authentic culture of Boholano hospitality, and the fiesta tradition--from culinary preparations to traditional entertainment styles which have been kept and untouched by modern lifestyle influences.

The "Fiesta Package" will also allow tourists not just to observe and witness the colorful and vibrant culture of the province, but "taste the culture" as well through food.

The month of May is the fiesta month of Bohol. From May 1 to May 30, fiesta is celebrated in barangays and towns. Boholanos, regardless of the distance and financial constraints see to it that they will be able to come home during their respective town or barangay fiesta.

This is something that the modern tourists should see and experience, added Noel.

This culture immersion package, Noel said is one of the major programs the tourism stakeholders in Bohol is creating following the introduction of its new brand "Behold Bohol."

"Fiestas in Bohol is not just a sole religious activity," she said but a celebration of life and thanksgiving, regardless of religious affinity.

Primarily, this concept attracts strongly to European tourists, who are more interested in immersion type of travel escapade.

In fact, this concept got the attention of the Madrid Fusion Manila (MFM), which recently tried the "Fiesta Package" dry-run in selected towns.

MFM is the first and only Asian edition of Madrid Fusion, the most important international gastronomy congress in the world, celebrated annually in Madrid since 2003.

What the Bohol provincial government is doing right now, is to address the loopholes of the program, so it could work sustainably regardless of political leadership transitions in every town. (FREEMAN)