Google to boost online presence of tourism establishments in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has partnered with Google Philippines as the first Google My Business (GMB) Trusted Verifier in the country.

The move is expected to help accredited establishments boost their online visibility.

“As a GMB Trusted Verifier, the DOT can instantly verify via the Quick Response (QR) code method all local DOT-accredited micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and make them discoverable on search maps and other Google products,” the DOT said in a statement.

All accredited tourism MSMEs don’t need to mail documents and wait for the vetting period of 30 to 60 days just to be verified on GMB.

Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.

Trusted Verifier is Google My Business’ verification method for businesses that wish to enlist, where a trusted agent manually verifies a business through an app.

“The DOT is looking forward to working closely with Google in digitizing our tourism establishments in the country, as well as in showcasing to local and foreign tourists alike all the best that the Philippines has to offer,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

The DOT said verified businesses would also have advantages as they will be able to manage their Google My Business profiles by listing their products and services, as well as being easily searchable and accessible to customers who want to connect, leave a message, or post a review.

“Owners and managers can also view insights directly from their Business Profile on Google My Business,” the DOT said.

This allows them to check how often their profile has been viewed, and use profile view insights to track how popular their business is with current and potential customers.