The Department of Tourism - Davao Regional Office (DOT-XI) launches The Big Davao Fun Sale, bringing together seven of Davao City’s biggest shopping centers in what is touted as the country’s first citywide shopping festival scheduled on 14 March – 16 April 2014.
The four-week long sale will offer best-value deals with as much as 80% discount on the widest range of products: from dining, local crafts, fruits, and flowers (14 March - 16 April); health and beauty (16-13 March); electronics and gadgets (24-30 March); home and travel (31 March - 6 April); to fashion and active lifestyle (7-16 April).
]The Big Davao Fun Sale will also feature a food festival organized by the Restaurants Association of Davao Inc. where all its 100 restaurant brand members ranging from home-grown and independent restaurants to franchised businesses are expected to join. Shoppers will also have a chance to win raffle prizes such as iPhone 5 units, all-expense paid trip, and cash prizes worth up to P100,000.
“It did not take long for all seven malls to join forces and partner with the DOT in positioning Davao City as a shopping destination in the country. When the country’s largest malls started opening up in the city over the last two years, competition became steep that Dabaweños, close to two million of them, may not suffice to sustain the malls’ viability.This reality in Davao’s retail industry of late caught the attention of all these mall executives to formally organize the Retail Association of Davao and partner with us in conceptualizing The Big Davao Fun Saleto attract foreign tourists and shoppers outside of Davao,” according to DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo P. Boncato, Jr.
The Big Davao Fun Sale, coinciding with the Araw ng Dabaw (Foundation Day of Davao) in March, is projected to increase arrivals to the city by 15% from the 100,000 visitors recorded in March to April last year.
Davao City’s famous all-black Mabuhay Taxi, which carried the tourism campaign for the region in 2012, has once again partnered with the DOT – Davao Region in promoting the shopping festival by dressing up its fleet of 150 units. The Abreeza Mall, NCCC Mall of Davao, SM Lanang Premier, SM City Davao, Gaisano Mall of Davao, GMall of Toril, and Robinsons are all gearing up with their unique offers and promotions for a total shopping experience.
Cebu Pacific Air also partnered with the Retail Association of Davao for the Big Davao Fun Sale giving a huge number of seat sales from all Cebu Pacific points to Davao, now including Bacolod twice a week, for the travel period from March to April 2014. Silk Air, on the other hand, is the global partner for the shopping festival.
“Shopping, or retail tourism, is one of the country’s tourism products being promoted by the DOT aggressively. With the increasing global attention given to the Philippines now as a tourist destination, we can anticipate more tourists to visit our country for their shopping holiday. The Big Davao Fun Sale in March is precisely the perfect time to experience four weeks of shopping spree and enjoy great premium deals that all seven malls in the City of Davao will offer. What makes it more fun is that it coincides with the Araw ng Dabaw celebration, which highlights the culture, ingenuity, and warmth of the Dabaweños. It’s going to be a thrilling experience. So, get ready to shop ‘til you drop,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. said.
For more details of the Big Davao Fun Sale, please visit
www.facebook.com/TheBigDavaoFunSale, email the organizers at dotr11@gmail.com / organiczar@gmail.com, or contact Joyce at 0928-9718988 / 0933-6030003 / 221 0070.
