RP tourism program making waves abroad

WASHINGTON – A special Philippine tourism program targeting overseas Filipinos living in the United States and Canada is becoming so successful it may have to be split into two next year so that organizers can continue to give the participants personalized service, an envoy said.

Consul General Domingo Nolasco, head of the consular section at the Philippine embassy in Washington, said the program called the Ambassador’s and Consuls General Tour is expected to attract a group of more than 500 participants to the Philippines, most of them Filipino-Americans, from July 12 to July 20.

The program, which began in 2005, is designed to attract overseas Filipinos, many of whom have not visited the Philippines for many years, to enhance the image of the country as a safe and exciting destination for tourism.

As in previous years the tour will consist of a basic package and optional four-day/three-night out-of-town tours.

The basic package will include a round-trip airfare from Washington DC, a four-night stay at a top-class hotel, lunch at Malacañang and a meeting with President Arroyo and out-of-town day tours to popular tourist destinations. – Lito Katigbak, STAR Washington bureau