Celebrating Bacolod Through Tourism and Innovation
BACOLOD - The Bacolod City Tourism Development Office is inviting residents and visitors to celebrate Bacolod City Tourism Month 2026 through a series of activities highlighting the city’s heritage, culture, creativity, local enterprises, gastronomy, and the future of tourism. Carrying the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” this year’s celebration explores how technology and innovation can complement Bacolod’s rich cultural identity while creating new ways for people to experience the City of Smiles. The celebration will feature Heritage and Cultural Walking Tours on September 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in collaboration with Project Hapit, encouraging participants to explore Bacolod’s historical places, architecture, stories, and cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the Tour Guiding Competition on September 15 will give future tourism professionals an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, creativity, and storytelling skills as they showcase Bacolod through the art of tour guiding.
Bringing Technology Into the Tourism Experience
One of the major highlights will be the Launching of Tourism Week and Augmented Reality Mural on September 14 at the Bacolod City Government Center. In partnership with La Consolacion College Bacolod, the activity will combine art, technology, and storytelling to offer a modern way of experiencing Bacolod’s tourism identity. The celebration will also feature a Cyber Hygiene Seminar on September 16 at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, providing participants from the academe and enterprise sectors with information on staying safe, secure, and responsible in an increasingly digital tourism environment. Digital storytelling will also take center stage through the Tourism Reel Competition on September 17 at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, where local content creators will showcase Bacolod’s attractions, culture, experiences, and beauty through short-form digital content. The event will be followed by the Tourism Week Culmination and Awarding Day, where winners and outstanding participants from the various activities will be recognized for their contributions to the celebration.
Supporting Local Enterprises and Culinary Heritage
From September 14 to 17, the Bacolod Tourism & Local Enterprise Showcase at the Activity Center of Ayala Malls Capitol Central will feature local tourism enterprises and entrepreneurs. Visitors can discover products that highlight the creativity, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurial spirit of Bacolod and Negros. At the same time, the Slow Food Earth Market at The Corte Area will celebrate the region’s culinary traditions, local food, and gastronomic heritage in collaboration with Slow Food Negros. The wide range of activities demonstrates Bacolod’s effort to develop tourism while preserving the stories, traditions, food, and creative industries that define the city. By combining heritage experiences with digital innovation, tourism education, local enterprise promotion, and gastronomy, Tourism Month 2026 provides different ways for residents and visitors to discover what makes Bacolod a destination worth experiencing. The celebration also reinforces the city’s vision of creating a tourism industry that embraces technology while remaining deeply connected to its local identity and community.
