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February 2011
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Albert A. Lim today opened the 18th
TravelTour Expo at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City by unveiling plans for
a more aggressive domestic tourism program, underscoring the importance of local
travel in reaching industry targets: creating job opportunities, distributing wealth to
the countryside and thus, advancing development, especially in the provinces.
“With the program, we hope to see more Filipinos going out and exploring our
wonderful country in the near future, and drive development through tourism,” he
said in his keynote speech to open the event.
Sec. Lim added that the number of Filipinos travelling within the country for
different main motivations has been on the rise in recent years, pegging the market
potential for local tourism at around 23 million.
Among the factors he cited as vital to the domestic travel boom are the
availability of affordable flights and the rise of new tourist destinations.
The Secretary called on everyone, especially the private sector to support the
new domestic tourism advocacy campaign titled, “Pilipinas, Tara Na!” which is a
follow-up to Biyahe Tayo”, a domestic tourism campaign that the DOT spearheaded
a few years back. Designed to evoke the desire to see one’s beautiful homeland,
“Pilipinas, Tara Na!” encourages Filipinos to explore and appreciate the country that
everyone calls home.
“Pilipinas, Tara Na!” along with partners from both the public and private
sector, will include a mass media campaign on local TV with SMART and the revival
of the Biyahe Na music video to be participated in by Filipino musicians who are
willing to lend their time and talent in support of Philippines tourism.
“The Plan will be a roadmap for product development and promotion, and will
identify up-and-coming destinations and corresponding priority infrastructure
projects,” Secretary Lim said.
While opportunities for both international and domestic travel will be on offer
at the EXPO, the Secretary pushed for the latter.
“We at the Department say your trips of a lifetime may just very well be a city
or province, island or region away, right here in the beautiful Philippines,” he
remarked.
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