Tourism chief sees online Pinoys as ‘game changers’
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, a former top advertising executive, may have begun to form the framework of the countryâs new tourism strategy and a core element of it is the cyberspace influence of Filipinos. Jimenez said on Thursday that the Philippines should move away from âtraditional" tourism campaigns, which largely involve paid advertisements, and instead harness âgame changing" media like Facebook and Twitter. In his speech before the Advertising Congress held in Naga City, Jimenez noted that other countries competing for tourists have âall the money to spend on advertising." He said this is traditional tourism, which involves âcentrally controlled and crafted marketing communications." Jimenez, however, pointed out the Philippinesâ strength in numbers online, with over 12 million overseas Filipino workers, 27 million Filipinos on Facebook, and 10 million on Twitter. âThe game changer will be a campaign that will have a central strategy executed and propagated by millions of active, enthusiastic Filipinos who feel they have the power to persuade people to visit their country as tourists," he said. âMore than any other country in Asia," Jimenez explained, âthe Philippines has the power of buzz, and buzz creation beyond anything our competition can generate." âSell it at every turnâ Since his first weeks in office, the Tourism chief has advocated the use of social media to sell the Philippine brand to potential tourists. âBelieve in the beauty of your country. Sell it at every turn. Sell it on Facebook, on Twitter, on Multiply. Talk about your country because we deserve a visit from the world," Jimenez said in a one-on-one interview on GMA News TVâs âState of the Nation" newscast. Just last Saturday, the Philippines gained a potential boost in tourism after the New7Wonders Foundation announced that the Puerto Princesa Underground River is now on its provisional list of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Meanwhile, GMA Newsâ 24 Oras newscast reported that this year, over 4,000 delegates from different advertising agencies and media outfits gathered in Camarines Sur for the Ad Congress with the theme âChange the Game."
On Friday, the heads of the three major Philippine networks â ABS-CBN, GMA-7, and TV5 â will share the stage during the Ad Congress, â24 Oras" also said. â ELR, GMA News