Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29) — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday said ₱49 million was spent for the development of the government’s latest tourism campaign “Love the Philippines.”
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Source, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the budget was used for the creation of the logo; the conduct of the global, regional, and local studies; and other components of the campaign.
“As far as next year is concerned, we are truly hopeful for support as far as rolling out the campaign here and abroad,” Frasco also said, adding that the DOT has submitted its proposed 2024 allocation to the Department of Budget and Management.
On June 27, the DOT unveiled its new tourism campaign “Love the Philippines,” replacing \”It’s More Fun In the Philippines\” launched in 2012.
“We have not yet fully told the Filipino story to the world, so this is also our love letter to the world,” Frasco said, “giving them an opportunity to have the full picture of the length and breadth of the story of the Filipino.”
The new tourism campaign encountered mixed reactions, with Albay Rep. Joey Salceda expressing his frustration after Mayon Volcano was not included in the promotion video.
READ: ‘You failed Albay’: Salceda frustrated after Mayon left out in new DOT campaign
Frasco emphasized that the promotional video is inclusive as it showed the many facets of Philippine tourism.
“The very nature of an ad campaign is that there is a beginning and there is a continuation. And this is only the first of very many iterations of ‘Love the Philippines’,” she noted.
According to the DOT chief, the process of coming up with the new slogan went through research to know the prevailing landscape in the tourism industry post-pandemic.
The study conducted showed that travelers are now prioritizing “purposeful, substantial, immersive, and authentic experiences and interactions with communities, and truly getting to know the destination, as well as attaining a sense of purpose in one’s travel,” she said.
“This is also evident, apparently, in the spending of tourists worldwide which would show they are now spending more on experiences and not things,” she noted.
Frasco explained that the word “love” was chosen for the slogan because it ranked number one among the words associated with the Philippines based on a social listening survey conducted.
“We really have only scratched the surface of all that there is that the Philippines has to offer to the world,\” she said.
She noted that beyond ‘fun,’ travelers have also yet to see more of the Philippines’ culture and heritage, tapestry of communities and indigenous peoples and ethnic communities, foods, festivals, and sounds.
Frasco said the new slogan is also a reminder for Filipinos “of how much there is to love about being Filipino and how much there is to love about the Philippines.”
“It’s a rallying call for us to take pride in our own nation,” she added.
To meet the demands of today’s travelers, Frasco said they launched the first Philippine experience heritage, culture, and arts caravan in Davao City in collaboration with the local government unit.
This gives local and international tourists the opportunity to visit the tourism destinations of the city, as well as immerse with the local community, she said.
Frasco said this will be replicated in other areas, like in Bicol, which was supposed to be in July but was moved to August due to the eruption of Mayon Volcano.
