The Department of Tourism’s Western Visayas regional office in Iloilo City is piloting Market Day Tourism in public markets in the city and in Guimaras in November.
DoT regional director Atty. Helen Catalbas said Guimaras helps make tourism in Iloilo City more attractive and competitive and both local government units complement each other because Guimaras is a major food producer for the city consumers.
The island province also supplies tourism-related establishments in Iloilo City.
Catalbas said Guimaras may not host a big volume of tourists but it is one of the primary sources of food and other fresh resources served to tourists in the city.
The province is not just the source of the sweetest mangos in Western Visayas but also the provider of poultry products, pork and beef, fishes and a variety of fruits.
It also serves as a leisure attraction for residents and tourists of Iloilo City, she said.
Catalbas also urged the local government units of Guimaras to keep an account of the products it supplies to Iloilo City to measure the effect of tourism in the city to the economy of the province.
DOT VI Market Day Tourism is launched in partnership with the municipality of Jordan.