‘Drive tourism’ gains ground in Ilocos Norte

FILE: Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol (Photo by dodong flores/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)

LAOAG CITY – Following the success of the maiden drive-in concert at the Laoag sand dunes more than a week ago, the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) is bringing in a series of pop-up activities in the province’s eco-tourism destinations amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

To jumpstart local tourism recovery, INTO comes up with a socially distanced way of restoring its pandemic-hit industry with “hyperlocal” pop-up activities.

”Hyperlocal” is a marketing strategy that targets the population in a specific community with the intention of “driving foot traffic to physical locations.”

On July 18, close to a hundred nature lovers joined a drive-in concert dubbed as “Ilocos Cordillera Drive Tour,” a scenic mountain drive at the Solsona-Apayao Road.

The series of outdoor pop-up activities aim to promote the re-opening of local tourist destinations and help tourism stakeholders generate earnings.

Among the protocols during the drive-in concert include the wearing of face mask, strategic queuing mechanism during the activity, and banning of alcoholic beverage consumption and communal dining.

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said there is no reason for alarm as “everything is under control”.

For weeks, Ilocos Norte had recorded zero cases of Covid-19 as the first five cases in the province had recovered. Last Sunday, however, it was reported that there were four new persons positive for Covid-19 in the towns of Pagudpud, Vintar and Laoag City.

In a press conference, Manotoc reassured residents that those who tested positive were in quarantine facilities and their close contacts had been  traced and quarantined.

Manotoc encouraged locals to enjoy the province’s scenic landscape but observe health and safety precautions.

The province’s Executive Order 78-20 states that the re-opening of public spaces such as parks, beaches, and resorts, among others, are allowed as long as it adheres to minimum health protocols and crowd control.