The 4th run of the Sipalay Sunset Beach Market generated more than P600,000 in total sales within its first three days, as the city recorded a steady influx of tourists during the Holy Week period.
Sipalay City Tourism Officer Jerick Lacson told Brigada News FM Kabankalan on Sunday, April 4 that the beach market initiative continues to provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs while enhancing the overall tourist experience in the city.
“This initiative aims to further promote local MSMEs by providing them with a platform to showcase their products, while offering additional options and experiences for tourists during the Holy Week season,” he said.
Lacson added that the strong turnout and encouraging sales reflect the growing interest in locally produced goods and experiential tourism.
“We are encouraged by the strong participation and sales during the first three days. This shows that our efforts to promote local products and community-based tourism are gaining traction,” he said.
Despite the ongoing oil crisis, Lacson noted that tourist arrivals remained steady compared to last year.
“Even with rising travel costs, we are glad to see that tourists continue to choose Sipalay. Many Negrenses opted to visit the city as a more accessible and practical destination, which helped sustain our tourism numbers,” he said.
The activity, held from April 2 to 5, was organized by the City Government of Sipalay through the Sipalay City Tourism Development and Promotion Office, in partnership with the Association of Sipalay Producers Inc.
A total of 25 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the food and non-food sectors participated in the beach market, which drew an estimated 2,000 to 2,500 visitors daily from morning until evening, Lacson said.
He also added that from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, Sipalay recorded an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 overnight tourists, while day visitors reached around 5,000 to 6,000 per day.
“We also observed that many Negrenses from both Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, who would have otherwise traveled to more distant destinations, chose to visit Sipalay instead as a more practical and accessible option amid rising travel costs. Compared to last year, tourist arrivals remained relatively steady, with numbers almost at the same level,” the tourism officer said.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.