Gab to hone LGUs' skills in managing festivals

MANILA, Philippines - The University of the Philippines’ Asian Institute of Tourism (UP-AIT) is organizing a conference that will hone the skills of local communities in staging and managing festivals as a sustainable source of tourism livelihood.

This 2nd UP-AIT Conference on Tourism and Hospitality is slated at the Marikina Convention Center in Marikina City on Sept. 28-29.

Prof. Virgilio Maguigad, UP-AIT training research and extension services director, said the conference will include exhibits on festivals and products unique to every province.

“With the theme ‘Mga Pista Bilang Salamin ng Kulturang Pilipino,’ the conference will bring out fresh ideas and best practices in the conduct of viable and sustainable festivals and special events that generate business enterprises, tourism opportunities and many other socio-economic benefits for the local communities,” Maguigad said.

Conference topics include the history of festivals, their cultural and economic significance, and the importance of local participation in their planning and execution, among many others.

Invited to join the conference are representatives of local government units, academic practitioners, students, and researchers from other related disciplines.

At least 200 of them are expected to join the conference, according to Maguigad, who advises prospective participants to call Prof. Maricel Badilla (+63917 896 2399 and landline 02 – 4926101) or marketing representative Jean Palma (0917-8472108), or e-mail at upait_tourismconferences@yahoo.com for registration or inquiries.

The registration fee for LGU representatives and academic practitioners is P3,800, and for students, P3,300, Maguigad said.

“This event will serve as a venue for the participants from various sectors to share their views and experiences, and learn more about how to organize commercially available and sustainable festivals,” he said.