MANILA – The Tourism Promotion Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, plans to push the ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ campaign even further as part of its five-point communication strategy for the coming year.
Since its launch in 2011, the campaign has met generally positive response, and engaged many users to contribute their own takes on the now-omnipresent line.
Enerio described ‘It’s More Fun’ as “a very strategic part” of their campaign to boost tourism in the country.
The first phase of the campaign focused on creating an identity for the country and Filipinos, while the second phase, which started this year, highlights certain destinations, described by TPB chief operating officer Domingo Enerio III as Filipino “power brands”. These destinations include world-famous sites Boracay, Palawan, and Cebu.
Focusing on destinations as power brands is also another point in the TPB’s communication strategy, though Enerio clarified that power brands are not limited to destinations, but can also include specific destinations, even hotels and facilities.
Along with this, other points in the TPB’s communication strategy include maximizing the use of upgraded digital technology, establishing and strengthening engagement with private sector stakeholders, and promoting the Philippines as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) destination.
“The challenge really is to work together as one nation, to adopt a tourism agenda not just for the tourism industry but also for the entire nation,” Enerio said.
“I think more and more different agencies of government are aligning to the tourism agenda, and that we need to stress some more the importance of working together as one whole nation to project the good image of the Philippines not just in terms of tourism but also in terms of trade, investment, and other business opportunities,” he added.
As part of its efforts to boost tourism, the TPB this year offered educational seminars as part of the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX), an annual event held from September 3 to 5, that brings together tourism industry stakeholders and allows foreign buyers of tourism products and services to meet and transact with Filipino sellers.
The educational seminars, held last September 3 at the SMX in Pasay, covered topics such as strengthening the partnership between TPB and its stakeholders, getting a better value from one-on-one business meetings, and aligning sales and marketing with management.
