Record number of tourist arrivals seen

Tourism Secretary Roberto M. Pagdanganan has expressed optimism that the Department of Tourism can achieve its tourist target of a record 2.5 million arrivals this year following the success of the government’s new marketing campaign.

Pagdanganan, who undertook a new positioning campaign for the country, said that tourist arrivals for the first six months reached 1.15 million already. The country’s record arrivals was achieved in 1997 when there were 2.2 million tourists. Last year, there were 1.9 million tourist arrivals.

"Our thrust is balanced and focused marketing," Pagdanganan told the Tuesday Club as he ticked off an innovative marketing game plan that ranges from selling the country’s unique dive spots such as Tubbataha, Anilao and Panglao, to placing advertisements in the language of the target countries.

He said that upon assumption of the tourism portfolio, he undertook a marketing workshop attended by trade attaches and the private sector to determine what the Philippines can target and what to promote.

A former marketing czar of Unilever until he joined the government, Pagdanganan said that tourism creates jobs. "One tourist creates one job," he said. Tourism also employs even unskilled workers.

Pagdanganan also bared a program involving policemen as a way of promoting the country to tourists. This program involves the conduct of seminars and workshops for policemen to train them to be "tourist-oriented."

"Istimahin, hindi iisahan," (Entertained not taken advantage of) Pagdanganan said of the objective of the program, dubbed Tourist Oriented Police, for tourists. The program gives monthly rewards to the tourist-oriented police and his family.

Pagdanangan said that the DOT is now targeting special markets to achieve the 2.5 million tourist arrivals.

Divers from Korea, United States and Japan are enticed to come to the country for its splendid diving spots while other unique Philippine places and events are similarly promoted, he added.