Baguio gears up for peak tourist season

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The city is gearing up for its peak tourist season – Christmastime or the last two months of the year when tourist arrival in the city normally spikes up.

City Tourism Operations Office Aloysius Mapalo said that records from their office showed that the “last months of the year draw the most number of tourists, at least 20 percent of the year’s total tourist arrivals.”

“Particularly, December is the month of the year that attracts the most tourists, usually 30 percent more than the average monthly tourist arrivals,” he said adding that in December, 2018, the city had 190,500 tourists excluding those who visited in just a day and those who stayed in alternative accommodation houses. 

Previous data from the City Tourism and Special Events Office also proved that Christmastime and not Panagbenga or Holy Week break had been the city’s peak tourist season particularly from 2015 to 2017 where the city posted the highest number of tourist arrivals covering local, foreign and balikbayan visitors in December.

Mapalo said the city expects to attract more tourists this year for the next two months, as Baguio packages new exciting events, activities and experiences.

“This coming November (16 to 24) is the Creative City month in Baguio, to be highlighted with the 2019 Ibagiw Creative City Festival, an enhancement of last year’s offering, the ENTAcool Festival, thus more creative and enriched activities this year, in partnership with the private organization of local artists, the Baguio Arts and Creatives Collective, Inc. or BACCI,” Mapalo said.

The event will primarily feature the “Made in Baguio” Competition in Crafts and Folk Art topbilled by local artisans and craftsmen showcasing innovation in the form of a competition for traditional Baguio crafts such as weaving, basketry, woodcarving and metalcraft and the “Re-imagining Baguio” which is a series of local artists’ portraits, stories of, impressions on, visions or aspirations for Baguio through art installations, murals and short film to be mounted in different venues around the city.

Other activities of Ibagiw are the “Creative Marketplace” at Dominican Heritage Hill, that will showcase the city’s creative industry sector’s crafts and folk art pieces for sale; the "Culture Bearers of Baguio" photo exhibit featuring portraits by local photographers of selected Baguio artists, artisans and cultural workers; the “Jamming on a G-string,” a fashion show set against a background of live performances by local musical artists; and pockets of private and community-led creative and art activities and galleries and an international conference on ASEAN crafts and folk art.

Coming on the heels of the festival will be the city’s Christmas offering now dubbed “An Enchanting Baguio Christmas” which Mapalo said is “a one-of-its-kind yuletide experience in the country planned to be a unique and alluring attraction during the merriest season of the year, this time in partnership with the Baguio Tourism Council, a private organization composing of tourism stakeholders of the city.”  

The yuletide offering will open on Nov. 24 with the performance of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the Rose Garden and the lighting of the Burnham Lake ala “Swan Lake”.  

“The centerpiece feature of this Christmas offering is the ‘Baguio Christmas Fair,’ a replication of the famous Christmas Markets around Europe which will showcase 20 specially-designed chalets clustered in four areas of the Rose Garden in Burnham Park with Christmas goodies and items for selling and display,” Mapalo said. 

On Dec. 1, the city will light up its city-wide decors including the Christmas garden tree made of live plants on top of Session Road and the lighted Christmas Belen at the Malcolm Square -- with a program, a concert, the most-awaited lantern parade by the Saint Louis University and a grand fireworks display. 

A series of events is lined up to charm visitors and locals: Christmas light shows and concerts every Saturdays at Malcolm Square; Christmas story-telling every Sundays at the Rose Garden; the University of Baguio Christmas Cantata on Dec 6 at the Rose Garden; anticipated “Simbang Gabi”, followed by a Christmas soup kitchen offering from December 16 to 24 at the Rose Garden; the Philippine Military Academy and Ballet Baguio’s special rendition of the Christmas Nutcracker on Session Road to Malcolm Square on December 22; a Christmas Woodstock Musicfest on Session Road on December 29 and the New Year Countdown Concert and Fireworks at the Melvin Jones Grandstand on December 31.

This early, Mapalo issued reminders to visitors who intend to join Baguio’s Christmas merrymaking: “For everyone’s convenience and in promoting responsible tourism, it is important to know that we have an anti- littering and anti-smoking laws, so please be responsible of your own trash and help us nurture and protect the environment always. Secondly, enjoy Baguio at its best by walking. So please leave your private vehicles, use public transport and simply walk around. This will also help ease out traffic congestion. Lastly, support local by buying local products and going to local establishments, and respect local culture by learning and understanding more about the rich heritage, history and the culture of the peoples of the city and the Cordillera.”

“With all those in mind, visitors will not only be enchanted during these last quarter of the year but will definitely bring home memories and unique stories to cherish and to come back for.” – Aileen P. Refuerzo