Iloilo Province Celebrates Tourism Month with Tumandok

Tourism Month---taking place at the fountain area of Robinsons Iloilo main mall on September 19-23, 2018---celebrates Tumandok, Iloilo’s most progressive tourism-oriented event by bringing together the destinations, attractions, product and cultural presentations that have always made Iloilo such an exciting and vibrant destination.

Tumandok, an annual Tourism Month celebration organized by the Office of Culture, Arts, History and Tourism of the Iloilo Provincial Government invests in marketing Iloilo Province. Coined from a Hiligaynon term for “a native of a place,” Tumandok features all that is Iloilo; its attractions and destinations, product and culture.

The tourism industry is unlike any other because, instead of selling a product, you are selling a place and all the things it has to offer. You are competing with the entire world every time you promote tourism in a given destination, and this high level of competition demands a creative and unique approach. To be successful, your marketing should constantly put forth the best possible image of your destination, while creating interest on a broad scale in as many ways as possible.

Events play a strong role in increasing destination awareness and intention to visit. They can be the reason for visitors to “act now” and book travel; they also encourage repeat visitation for those looking for something new and different.

Conceptualized and developed primarily to enhance awareness, appeal and profitability of  Iloilo Province as tourist destination, Tumandok has become the collective representation of an event which can showcase the best of that Iloilo can offer in terms of tourism. Marketing activity includes promotion of existing and emerging destinations and significant investment in partnership campaigns jointly implemented by The Department of Tourism VI and Robinsons Place Iloilo.

Tumandok, organized in 2004 is the marketplace for new and/ or repeat visitors to Iloilo with the objective of:

a   a. Creating, enhancing and increasing awareness of Iloilo Provinces’ domestic tourism by  

         providing proper information to visitors; 

b   b. Building and/ or improving a corporate image or brand for every town and for the 

         province as a whole;

c   c. Increasing annually the volume of tourist traffic and investments for the province;

d  d. Encouraging proactive participation and involvement by all stakeholders including 

        government bodies, private sector, tourism organizations, local communities, academic 

        institutions, youth clubs etc. at all stages of tourism life cycle;

e  e. Preserving and enhancing local culture, art, handicrafts, etc;

f.   f.    Introducing tourism product innovations;

g g. Supporting local tourism products.

Tumandok’s uniqueness lies in the fact that tourism students from different academic institutions in the city and province were utilized to market and promote Iloilo’s tourism offerings.

Robinsons Place Iloilo has continuously involved in supporting government institution initiatives. Every year, the mall hosts and partakes in local promotional initiatives and activities which help students and supports LGUs‘ tourism campaign.

Tumandok has provided a sense of identity not just as a tourism event for Iloilo Province but for the participating LGUs. Establishing their presence to the event has given them a platform to meet new customers, to reach out to existing clientele, and to build their more established and reliable tourism brand for their town.

The annual Tourism Month celebration is brought to you this year by Robinsons Place Iloilo, ISAT University, Iloilo Tourism Officers Association, Inc., Tinukib and DOST.