Preparations are now underway for the observance of Tourism Week from September 20-27, a weeklong promotion to raise awareness on the potentials of Zamboanga as a tourist hub.

The celebration which will kick off with the 11th Drum and lyre competition on September 20 at 4 p.m. at the Paseo del Mar, is in celebration of World Tourism Day on Sept. 27.

Various elementary and secondary schools will compete with each other for the title in the drum and lyre competition.

The Libre Paseo, a free visit to various tourist attractions, will be held on September 24 from 8AM to 5PM with elementary school students coming from the various school districts of Zamboanga as participants.

The student-tourists will be given the chance to tour around the different tourist attractions of the city such as the Fort Pilar shrine, the City Museum, Paseo Mar and the entire Pasonanca Park among others.

The Ayuda Limpiesa, Year 7, will be the culminating activity on September 25 at 8 am at the main public market. No less than Mayor Celso Lobregat will spearhead the clean-up activity in major streets downtown including the public market, the entire street of Jaldon St. to Fort PIlar, Corcuera St., Pilar Street, the perimeters of City Hall and Sucabon river.

The Tourism Week celebration is being organized by the City Mayor’s Office through the City Tourism and Promotions Division under Sarita Hernandez.

Tourism is part and parcel of the city’s economy and its promotion is in line with the end goal of making Zamboanga an important tourist hub in this part of the country.