DOT launches 'travel mall' marketing RP to web-savvy tourists
01/24/2008 | 03:18 PM
Amidst uncertainties from a weakening United States economy and a recent aviation safety rating downgrade by the US Federal Aviation Authority, the Philippines' Tourism Department on Thursday launched a “virtual travel mall" website targeting potential visitors to the country from North America
Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said that the website, which will be available for access in mid-February this year, will include travel packages offered online by DOT-accredited travel operators and agents in North America.
Through the website, tourists planning for a vacation in the Philippines can virtually “window-shop" or browse through hundreds of travel package offerings categorized into destinations, trip duration, travel theme or price range.
Tourists can also purchase their travel packages, including air, car hire, holiday and hotel reservations through secure online booking system.
The themed travel packages in the Travel Mall include adventure, beach holiday, culinary, diving, golf, heritage, honeymoon, medical, and wellness available for solo travelers, couples, honeymooners, families, groups, retirees and sports enthusiasts.
The Tourism Department's campaign includes the endorsement of internet celebrity Christine Gambito, a second-generation Filipino-American whose videos about growing up in an immigrant Filipino family home in the US are among the most watched videos in video-sharing website You Tube.
Gambito will stay in the Philippines for two weeks and will make video blogs about her visit to tourist spots such as Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Boracay, Tagaytay, Palawan, Manila and Nueva Ecija, where her family hails from.
Tourism Secretary Ace Durano told reporters that for this year, the DOT aims to attract about 3.4 million in foreign visitors, some 8 percent to 10 percent improvement from last year's number of 3.1 million.
“Last year, we spent under P1 billion in promotion, but tourists spent some $4.8 billion here in the Philippines and for this year, we hope to increase that by $1 billion for a total of $5.8 billion," he said.
Durano said that to do this, the department is encouraging more high-value products and services in the tourism industry such as medical tourism, education, wellness spas.
He added that despite the current challenges in the American market, the worst case scenario for Philippine tourism is a flat growth from the US and Canada.
“Americans, like the Europeans, have a vacation culture. As long as they have work, they will give themselves vacation," Durano said.
The tourism chief noted that as of last year tourists from North America made up 18 percent of the total 3.1 million visitors that the Philippines had.
“Besides we are also continuing to develop other markets such as Korea, China, Russia, France and Germany," he said.
Durano said the move to tap the internet as the main medium to reach out to tourists from North America was borne out of the fact that the market there is “very sophisticated."
“They are more glued to their computers than to traditional media such as the television," he said. - Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV
Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said that the website, which will be available for access in mid-February this year, will include travel packages offered online by DOT-accredited travel operators and agents in North America.
Through the website, tourists planning for a vacation in the Philippines can virtually “window-shop" or browse through hundreds of travel package offerings categorized into destinations, trip duration, travel theme or price range.
Tourists can also purchase their travel packages, including air, car hire, holiday and hotel reservations through secure online booking system.
The themed travel packages in the Travel Mall include adventure, beach holiday, culinary, diving, golf, heritage, honeymoon, medical, and wellness available for solo travelers, couples, honeymooners, families, groups, retirees and sports enthusiasts.
The Tourism Department's campaign includes the endorsement of internet celebrity Christine Gambito, a second-generation Filipino-American whose videos about growing up in an immigrant Filipino family home in the US are among the most watched videos in video-sharing website You Tube.
Gambito will stay in the Philippines for two weeks and will make video blogs about her visit to tourist spots such as Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Boracay, Tagaytay, Palawan, Manila and Nueva Ecija, where her family hails from.
Tourism Secretary Ace Durano told reporters that for this year, the DOT aims to attract about 3.4 million in foreign visitors, some 8 percent to 10 percent improvement from last year's number of 3.1 million.
“Last year, we spent under P1 billion in promotion, but tourists spent some $4.8 billion here in the Philippines and for this year, we hope to increase that by $1 billion for a total of $5.8 billion," he said.
Durano said that to do this, the department is encouraging more high-value products and services in the tourism industry such as medical tourism, education, wellness spas.
He added that despite the current challenges in the American market, the worst case scenario for Philippine tourism is a flat growth from the US and Canada.
“Americans, like the Europeans, have a vacation culture. As long as they have work, they will give themselves vacation," Durano said.
The tourism chief noted that as of last year tourists from North America made up 18 percent of the total 3.1 million visitors that the Philippines had.
“Besides we are also continuing to develop other markets such as Korea, China, Russia, France and Germany," he said.
Durano said the move to tap the internet as the main medium to reach out to tourists from North America was borne out of the fact that the market there is “very sophisticated."
“They are more glued to their computers than to traditional media such as the television," he said. - Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV
