Manila, Sept. 7 -- The Ilocos Norte provincial delegation generated more than PHP32 million in actual sales and potential bookings during the 37th Philippine Travel Mart held at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Sept. 4 to 6.

Senior tourism operations officer Xavier Ruiz shared the data on Monday, stating that the amount includes prospective hotel accommodations and tour bookings, plus about PHP575,000 in sales of empanadas (turnover pie) and other local products from micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs who participated in the annual fair.

"However, beyond the numbers, it was good to see people stopping by -- not just to inquire about our destinations and travel packages, but to eat empanada, discover our local products, and exp...