In a serious attempt to boost domestic tourism in the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has a new campaign titled “Discover More to Love”, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
This new move by the DOT makes sense since it is very difficult for the nation to attract foreign tourists. The DOT admitted that Vietnam and other destinations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are more affordable for foreign travelers.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is leading a new campaign called “Discover More to Love” to boost domestic travel within the Philippines.
Among its major features is the introduction of curated and discounted travel-related packages by local tourism stakeholders, including several hotels from across the country.
In an interview over the weekend, Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the campaign would not replace but instead complement the DOT’s primary tourism branding “Love the Philippines,” with the intention of allowing tourists to define their travel experience in their “own personal way.”
“(The thrust is) local muna pero hopefully, we will expand that to international (The thrust would be initially domestic, but hopefully, we will expand that internationally),” she said.
“The Filipinos love to travel, especially Gen Z and the others, it’s an adventure for them, and we want them to be sound board on what else we can do to improve.”
Domestic travel remains a strong driver of tourism in the Philippines. Last year alone, it generated at least PHP3.26 trillion in tourist spending, up by 3 percent from PHP3.16 trillion in 2024.
Beyond strengthening local travel, Angara-Mathay said the DOT is also stepping up efforts to recover the decrease in Korean travelers, while continuing to woo the rest of its top source markets.
She admitted that the competitive pricing in other Southeast Asian destinations is pulling in more Koreans, which traditionally has been the Philippines’ number one source market for foreign visitors.
“South Korea’s population is declining, but they’re travelers. Ngayon, ‘yong slot natin kinuha ng Vietnam, kinuha ng other ASEAN countries kasi kalahati lang ang kanilang cost to go there (Now, our slot has been taken by Vietnam and other ASEAN countries because it only costs half to go there),” she explained.
The DOT, for its part, she said, would continue engaging stakeholders to introduce and craft new “tour bundles” to make the cost of travel to the Philippines more affordable and “predictable.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT’s new campaign will significant boost domestic tourism which itself has been thriving? Do you think it is possible for domestic tourism spending to reach P4 trillion this year?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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