The Department of Tourism in Region X today launches 2015 as “Visit the Philippines Year” (VPY) in Northern Mindanao at the Activity Center of upscale Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro City.
Visit Phils 2015
“This launch is a response to Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr.’s directive to move tourism out of Manila and urge people to visit other places such as Northern Mindanao,” said Catalino E. Chan III, DOT-X regional director.
Earlier Jimenez cited the key role of local government units (LGUs) in spurring tourism outside Metro Manila.
“Kung saan masigasig talaga ang local [government], doon malakas ang tourism. Pag aktibista sa tourism ang LGU, magsa-succeed,” Jimenez stressed.
The DOT andthe Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), its marketing and promotions arm, launched its new campaign during the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City last September 4, 2014.
For today’s launch in Northern Mindanao, Milo Oropesa, TPB promotions specialist, is slated to present the salient points of the VPY 2015 program to tourism stakeholders from around the region.
Jimenez said the new campaign will not replace “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” but is meant to refresh and sustain the original campaign. DOT also launched a microsite (http://phl2015.
Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III, TBP chief operating officer said the agency will stress five main themes for 2015: 1) history and culture, 2) music and arts, 3) lifestyle and entertainment, 4) business meetings, and 5) sports, adventure, and eco-tourism.
To kick off History and Culture in January 2015 is Pope Francis’ 40-day pilgrimage to the Philippines. September will mark the 70th anniversary of the final battles of World War II in the country.
For Music and the Arts, Enerio said some of the biggest acts in the entertainment world such as One Direction and Justin Timberlake will visit the country in March 2015 for live performances and shows.
In the fields of lifestyle and entertainment, the Philippines will host Madrid Fusion Manila, billed as the biggest culinary event in the world, in April 2015. Enerio said this event would bring national and international chefs, journalists, and food companies from all over which should encourage local tourism stakeholders to raise themselves up to global standards.
By November 2015, the country would host Asia the Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meetings and Leaders’ Summit with over 25,000 international delegates expected to attend.
The APEC meetings would also be hosted by Boracay and Iloilo City in the Western Visayas; Tagaytay City in Southern Tagalog; Metro Cebu in the Central Visayas; Bagac, Bataan and Clark, Pampanga in Central Luzon; and Legazpi City, and Albay in Bicol.
Not the least, the country will host international sporting events such as triathlons, martial arts, eco-marathons, yacht races, beach volleyball tournaments, and tennis exhibition matches. Among these is the international white water rafting competition to be hosted by Cagayan de Oro City, the Diving Resort Travel Expo in Manila in April and the Siargao International Surfing Competition in August.
“What will truly sustain Visit the Philippines Year 2015 campaign are the people themselves. I enjoin the businesses, communities, and locals to play an active part in spreading and amplifying our messages, enticing would-be visitors to come visit our shores,” Jimenez said.
The DOT already launched VPY 2015 at the Conrad Centennial Hotel Singapore on October 28 and at the Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, central Seoul, South Korea last Nov. 4.
The Philippines was one of only five countries (with China, Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong) which had over 1 million Korean visitors annually, with 1,165,789 Koreans arriving in 2013, a figure that represents a quarter of the country’s total arrivals of 4,681,307 in 2013, the highest of any single country but which represented only 8 percent of the total 15 million overseas Korean travelers in 2013.
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