DOT Dares Tourism Stakeholders to Make Philippines Vacation More Fun

The Department of Tourism (DOT) dares tourism stakeholders to make a guest’s fun experience as unforgettable through seamless organization and networking as well as hassle-free vacation.

“Ensure that your visitor will have an unforgettable fun experience,” urges Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon at the Regional Association of Development Information Officers-7 (RADIO-7) and tourism officers First Information Summit at Hotel Elizabeth in Cebu.

Bengzon, who sits at the DOT market development group, revealed that the country has made a significant head way in tourism in the past months, because of the newly incorporated fun component in the Philippine tourism campaigns.

He cited visitor arrivals reaching 4.7 million this year, at a noble 10% increase despite the calamities, making revenues of about $5 M to the Philippine economy.

This he claimed, is even when the figures do not include domestic travelers, who had a lesser coverage.

Domestic travel still reached 45 million which represents the movement of Filipinos over the country, and this collected a figure larger than 8-9 times over foreign revenues, the young tourism official retorted.

Tourism has also become one of Central Visayas and Bohol’s key economic engines, one which has the capacity to better local economic conditions.

“The great year for tourism,” according to Bengzon, “is attributed largely to ‘It’s More Fun’ campaign which has captured the world imagination.”

The incorporation of the fun component in a Philippine vacation has captured the imagination of the world, created a buzz and led to the country’s citations and recognitions as among the best destinations in the world.

“The Philippines is now steps ahead of the competition,” Benzon claimed, hinting that at least two of the country’s toughest regional competitors have also adopted the fun component in their selling.

It has to be fun, he stressed.

But, somewhere reality tells that there’s going to be one sucker who would pull out a fast one, for a quick and easy money, leaving tourists shortchanged and feeling badly about the deals.

To them, Bengzon said, “The industry spends billions of pesos for promotions, only to be ruined by a driver pulling a fast one, or when the air-conditioning unit conks out, this leaves a bland experience,” the tourism official added.

“What we want is for tourists to experience how warm the Philippine experience is,” he urged.

Bengzon challenged information and tourism officers to help spread the word about the Philippines in their news and blogs, handle crisis information properly by keeping positive but balanced news and getting the word out quickly, to continue the tourism industry’s edge in the country. (mbcn/Rey Anthony H. Chiu/PIA7-Bohol)