Editorial

THE recent Dinamulag Mango Festival gave us another opportunity not only to showcase what’s best in Zambales products and culture, but also who we are as Zambaleños — friendly, hospitable, and kind to visitors. We gave them a taste not only of the best mango in the world, showed them our best beaches and other tourism attractions, let them savor local dishes and food delicacies, helped them enjoy activities unique to Zambales, and, more important, made them experience how we interact as a people.

It is a good start, but should not stop there.

What we mean is that the annual Mango Festival, which makes us put on a “show” for visitors, should be the template for our collective attitude and behavior the year round. That is, if we want Zambales to remain a premier tourist magnet — and a prime income generator, as well — in this part of the country.

Local tourism figures indicate that Zambales is again picking up visitors as the Covid-19 pandemic began waning. From a record of 692,380 local arrivals and 62,761 foreign arrivals in 2019, Zambales tourism declined to just 71,552 local and 1,063 foreign arrivals in 2020. But new attractions perked up the trend to 100,488 local and 3,340 foreign arrivals in 2021. Last year, the first-semester (January to June) record of 503,161 domestic visitors and 17,130 foreign tourists meant that Zambales has regained its allure to visitors and has even surpassed pre-pandemic record of arrivals.

Now, using the estimated average daily expenditure by a tourist in Zambales at P2,500 (a bare-bone figure adopted by the Zambales Provincial Tourism Office), the 503,161 domestic arrivals and 17,130 foreign tourists recorded in just six months last year could have easily generated more than P1.3 billion in income for local tourism establishments and tourism-related businesses.

Which brings us to the necessity of keeping the best of Zambales up. Not just during festivals, but every single day.

Every day, we have to show people what Zambales is — clean; replete with excitement, fun and adventure; gifted with the best of both mountain and water worlds. And just as important, we have to show people, even our province-mates, who the Zambaleños are — the friendly, forward-looking, efficient, accommodating, cooperative, kind and thoughtful folk that we are.

For we are Zambales. Nothing more, nothing less. 