‘Love the Philippines’ reaches top world tourist attractions

MANILA, Philippines — While the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines has exceeded previous estimates before yearend, the Department of Tourism (DOT) continues to promote the country’s tourism industry through the “Love the Philippines” campaign.

On its Facebook page, the DOT shared photos and videos of the tourism campaign, launched in late June this year, displayed in attractions in Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the United States.

Tram sets in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia were decorated with Love the Philippines symbols like the slogan and colorful pixels, as well as images from the Banaue Rice Terraces, Vigan City, Mayon Volcano, the Philippine Eagle and diving spots.

Billboards featuring popular tourist destinations Boracay, Palawan and Bohol were also shown at a train station in Taipei, Taiwan and at Gangnam district in South Korea.

The DOT also put up televised advertisements at the Shibuya train station and at the Shinjuku Alta building in Tokyo, Japan.

A group of riders of big bikes, including the iconic tricycle, paraded along the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California carrying the Philippine flag and Love the Philippines banners.

The DOT would also organize a marketplace that would feature “local vendors, artisans, live performances and a captivating fashion show by world-renowned Filipino designer Francis Libiran” on Dec. 30, the agency announced.

The department continued to use the new tourism campaign despite being tainted by controversy when the advertising firm tapped to conceptualize it admitted using stock footage shot in other countries in its promotional video.

As of mid-December this year, the Philippines has welcomed over five million foreign visitors, most of whom came from Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the United States where the DOT put up materials for the “Love the Philippines” campaign. The figure of tourist arrivals was beyond the initial 2023 target of 4.8 million tourists.