The region’s biggest shopping and touring event is back as the Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) officially kicked off its 2017 season last April 19 at the Garden Tent of the Waterfront Insular Hotel.
The Coachella-inspired party, which was hosted by the Davao Wellness Association (DavWell), was attended by Davao Region’s government tourism heads, tourism associations, friends in the tourism industry, artists, event sponsors, and media.
I loved how the event highlighted the region’s “Explore. Relax. Repeat.” mantra and making the late afternoon fun and exciting were free 15-minute complimentary massages courtesy of DavWell as well as face painting, henna tattoo, and hair braiding booths featuring VDFS sponsors, BPI Credit Cards, Bonamine, AirAsia, and Cebu Pacific (whose director for corporate communications Ma. Rosario “Charo” Lagamon arrived to officially seal the airlines’ VDFS sponsorship in an event prior to the party.)
“Every year the Visit Davao Fun Sale becomes bigger and bigger, with more events catering to more diverse travellers.” said Department of Tourism XI director Roberto Alabado III, “this year, aside from the events within Davao City and Samal Island, we are opening attractions in Davao Oriental which are sure to excite travellers.”
Aside from getting discounts at Durianburg’s many malls, restaurants, and hotels, there are a plethora of cultural, artistic, fun, and exciting activities scheduled from April through the end of May. New for the VDFS are the skimboarding and frisbee competitions on Dahican beach to be hosted by Davao Oriental.
Clearly, Davao Region’s summer season is quickly evolving and is more exciting then before thanks to the VDFS. I can only look forward to see more interesting places to visit, things to see, food to eat, and events to experience from now until the end of May and beyond to the 2018 iteration of, what could be, the biggest, integrated, region-wide, tourism festival in the Philippines.
