The Negros Island Tourism Inc., the body tasked to market and promote the province both for the leisure and convention markets was launched by the major tourism players in Negros Occidental last night.

At the program held at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol, Gov. Joseph Marañon, who was the keynote speaker, lauded the organizers of the NITI for joining forces to put Negros Occidental in the tourism map.

This has been my challenge, that they should focus on being united in order to be recognized, he said.

The NITI Board of Trustees is headed by Ruth Minerva Cruz of the Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel and The Quiet Place Farm Resort, and Sonia Sarrosa of Nature's Village.

Sarrosa said the launching was a celebration of the collaboration between the tourism players in the province and the local government units.

In a validation workshop conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program in 2004, representatives of different industries in the province chose tourism as having the best potential for employment generation.

SMEDSEP, a joint project of The German Technical Cooperation, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, then commissioned a comprehensive study that profiled the tourism industry in Negros Occidental. This was followed by a study mission that recommended the organization of a tourism body.

SMEDSEP was represented at the program by Markus Ehmann, senior advisor for business development services, who said that they will continue to support the programs and projects of NITI.

Other members of NITI are Augusto Sison, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental; Jose Montalbo, president of the Resort Association of Negros Island; Gregorio Flores, president of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies-Bacolod Chapter; Cristina Gaston, president of the Association of Negros Producers; Nestor Evaristo of Aboy's Restaurant; and Arlette Capistrano of SuperFerry.

Also present at the launching rites were Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Rafael Coscolluela, Tourism Regional Director Edwin Trompeta, Trade and Industry Regional Director Dominic Abad as well as board members and mayors of Negros Occidental.*NLG

back to top