Albay adopts tourism slogan: Indulge yourself in warm Albay

it is said that when clouds veil Mayon, the warrior Panganuron is gently caressing his love,  Daragang Magayon. -  Photo courtesy of YVES ELI YU

LEGAZPI CITY: In a bid to consolidate its marketing success at the Internationale Tourismus Börse in Berlin, Germany, the provincial government of Albay has adopted a new slogan as it geared for the month-long Daragang Magayon Festival 2013 this coming April.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said they have adopted the new sales pitch: “Indulge yourself in warm Albay!” which they hope will boost tourism gains after Albay posted a 49% hike in tourist arrivals in 2012, with a 23% growth in the foreign tourists sector.

Albay is featured as a highlight tourist destination in the Philippine exposition at the ITB-Berlin convention of global trade and tourism stakeholders March 6-10, just weeks before the celebration of the month-long festival.

 “Indulge yourself in warm Albay! Warm people, hot and spicy food and tropical ambience” is Albay’s latest come on call.

Salceda recently told festival organizers that Daragang Magayon Festival 2013 will be their “cultural epiphany” as the new tourism giant of Luzon.

 “We are now being marketed abroad, so let’s not disappoint our visitors. Albayanos are a great people, so let’s show them what we’ve got. And they’ll come back again and again,” he stressed.

This year’s festival features a three-fold significance for Albay: First, the ITB-Berlin gains where the province was so far the first LGU featured in that world-class tourism fair; second, Albay’s 49% tourism growth in 2012; and third, Magayon Festival, now among the top five festivals in the country has been renamed Daragang Magayon Festival, following the remarkably successful staging of its ballet version at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last February.

Albay’s ITB-Berlin’s role is considered a major milestone for the province.

The Berlin event is the largest travel fair in the world, visited by some 170,000 visitors, 113,000 of them trade visitors, and 11,000 represent firms from 180 countries. - MST