DOT, media team up to promote tourism

MANILA, Philippines — As the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported an increase of 71.38 percent in the number of foreign tourists visiting the country and a total of P220 billion in revenues last year, it continues to work with key partners to achieve their mission.

In line with this, the DOT sponsored this year’s Media Specialists’ Association of the Philippines (MSAP) Media Congress in Baguio City earlier this month.

“I really wanted to partner with the media because we have big events coming up that will showcase our country’s prime destinations. In November, we are going to have the Sports Illustrated photo shoot as well as the Miss Universe fashion show. Next year, we will host several big sporting events such as the Iron Man triathlon and the World’s Strongest Man competition,” said Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo.

Joining the congress were big names in the media industry such as Havas Media, Carat Philippines, Dentsu X Philippines, United Print Media Group, ABS-CBN, CNN Philippines, Manila Broadcasting Company, Radio Mindanao Network, TV5 and the Philstar Media Group. Also present were key personalities from social media giants Google and Facebook.

Teo added that sponsoring this year’s MSAP congress is an opportunity to showcase what the City of Pines has to offer as a tourism destination, which she hopes media would highlight and promote to the public. One of these is the city’s latest tourism movement dubbed RevBloom.

Launched in 2015, RevBloom is an urban rehabilitation tourism campaign that encompasses immediate, practical and long-term responses to the growing tourism “unpleasantness” of Baguio City caused by rapid urbanization and increasing urban decay.

One result of RevBloom’s advocacy is the revitalization of the Stobosa communities in La Trinidad, Benguet. The program partnered with a paint company to splash colorful patterns and shapes on the houses in Stonehill, Botiwtiw and Sadjap in Barangay Balili.

Aside from Stobosa, RevBloom has revitalized key pedestrian overpasses, rotundas and parks around Metro Baguio. Key to the success of their activities is the support of grassroots communities who were the first to lend a hand in reviving the decaying features of the communities and turning them into tourist magnets.

Teo asked MSAP and members of media to help the DOT in promoting the country’s unique destinations and tourism programs.

“The government cannot be alone in the drive to promote the Philippines as a tourism destination. We need partners like those in the media industry to help us in showcasing the beauty of our country and our people. We all have an obligation to promote the Philippines to the world,” Teo said.

In response, this year’s MSAP Media Congress chair Venus Navalta pledged the industry’s commitment in promoting Philippine tourism. “We are glad to have Baguio City as our host and the DOT as one of our sponsors for this year’s Congress. The DOT’s support for events such as this Congress strengthens our resolve to help country’s tourism sector grow.”