Tara Na Sa Norte (Manila)

Tara na sa Norte Tourism and Travel Fair

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) booth

The much-anticipated, 3-day“Tara Na Sa Norte” ("Let's Go North") Tourism and Travel Fair 2013, at the Atrium of Robinson’s Place in Ermita, is organized by North Philippines Visitors Bureau and Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), the builder and concessionaire of the 84-km., world-class  North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) which has been connected with the 93.7-km. Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to provide seamless travel between Metro Manila and Central Luzon.  

The MNTC, via this tourism project, helps the 4 northern Philippine regions promote their destinations and attractions. This travel fair is a follow-up to the MNTC’s successful “Rediscovering the North” which sought to rekindle Filipinos’ fondness for North Luzon’s favorite tourism destinations. MNTC is also the organizer of the past Lakbay Norte, a media familiarization tour which I joined in 2011. 

Ilocos Region booth

Central Luzon booth

Air Asia booth

Cebu Pacific Air booth

The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional offices in Region 1 (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan), Region 2 - Cagayan Valley (Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino); Region 3 - Central Luzon (Aurora, Bulacan, Clark Special Economic Zone, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Tarlac); and the Cordillera Administrative Region - CAR (Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province), each had their own display booths that feature popular, new and emerging tourism destinations and attractions that are unique to each region. 

First started in 2009 and now on its 5th year, the fair featured audio-visual presentations by the exhibitors and included such special events as corporate fun game shows (Air Asia, Cebu Pacific Air and Easytrip); raffle draws of airline tickets and other gift certificates from hotels and resorts; a tourism quiz bee  challenge, band music (Stonefish band), a flairtending exhibition ("Shake, Roll and Flair") and marketing and product presentations.  Low season tour packages and airfares plus other special deals also awaited those who visited the booths during this event weekend.

Cebu Pacific Air Fun Games

The exhibitors include local government units (the City of Alaminos and the province of La Union); airlines (Air Asia, Cebu Pacific Air); hotels (Microtel Inns and Suites, Fersal Hotel Group, Java Hotel, Subic Bay Travelers Hotel and Events Center, Plaza del Norte, Terrace and Bayfront Hotel, Court Meridian Hotel and Suites, Subic International Hotel, etc.); resorts (Lighthouse Marina Resort, Punta Riviera Resort, Puerto del Sol, etc.); tour organizers (Treetop Adventures, Easy Trip); government agencies (Camp John Hay, Philippine Retirement Authority,  Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority); theme parks (Dinoisland/Clarkland, Dasoland, etc.); real estate companies (Azalea Residences); cellular networks (Sun Cellular); food manufacturing companies (Pampanga’s Best, Sweet Heaven Food Products); cottage industries (Edver Footwear, Edwarson Leathercraft, D5L Embroidery, NEEDCO, EM Leathercraft, Izumi Designs, etc.)  and the Tarlac and Nueva Ecija convention and visitors bureaus, among others.

Exhibitors

North Luzon Expressway booth

The fair is sponsored by Cebu Pacific, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Maynilad Water Inc. and Smart Communications, and supported by Robinsons Land Corp. and North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB), and managed by the Philippine Exhibits and Themeparks Corp. (PETCO).

Ms. Grace Ayento (MNTC Sen. Marketing Mgr.), at left,
presenting certificates to exhibitors