“Why spend your money on plane fare when you can spend it on good food and good accommodation?”

Manila North Tollways Corporation Vice President for Marketing Renato Ticzon asked this question as he encouraged tourists to visit northern Philippines during the opening of the “Tara Na Sa Norte” fair at the Glorietta mall in Makati on Friday.

“Northern Philippines has a lot to offer—heritage sites, pristine beaches and the best regional cuisine, not to mention the iconic and colorful festivals celebrated every year,” he said.

For those who are more adventurous, there are also a lot to do in northern Philippines.

“The north is also now reinventing itself to become a more modern tourist destination. The brand of tourism today is more active sports, outdoor sports, where you have bungee jumping or zipline, kayaking, white water rafting, mountain biking, road biking—it’s all in the north,” he told INQUIRER.net.

Ticzon added that aside from scenic spots and exciting activities, provinces in northern Philippines are also known for their delicious cuisine.

“Pampanga is the culinary capital. Ilocos has bagnet and all those delicious delicacies,” he said.

The MNTC executive also heralded that the number of people visiting the north has increased because of its accessibility.

“It so happens, the roads to all these places are now first-class with the expressways,” he said.

The fair, which is on its seventh year, runs from July 17 to 19. It features at least 100 exhibitors that showcase the best Northern Luzon and Central Luzon have to offer and present package tours and discounted transportation and accommodation rates.