The Fair was held in the monumental Convention and Exhibiton Center (COEX) in Gangnam-gu, Seoul and on April 3, the Fair made its way to BEXCO, Busan. The Philippine delegation made its mark in the prestigious fair when it set up a colorful pavilion space of 24 booths. The Philippine Pavilion housed the Tourism office and various institutions of learning, which promoted their English as Second Language (ESL) Tour Program. With more than 430 international schools and institutes from 19 countries, the Korea Student Fair attracted thousands of guests to meander through the exhibits.
The booths from the national pavilions hailing from Australia, Canada, China, European Union, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore and USA conducted face-to-face consultations between international educators and the interested Korean families who’d like to send their children abroad for an education program and especially to learn English. It was dubbed a "One Stop Services" hub that gave the families complete information about studying abroad.
Since its debut in the Korea Student Fair in 2005, the Philippine DOT and PCVC’s delegated booths have contributed greatly to the influx of Korean tourists and students to our shores to bask in the beautiful beaches or to study English – or simply to do both. One 14-year old Korean boy was asked why many families opt to send their children to the Philippines among other Asian countries. He said it is because the Philippine setting is peaceful and beautiful, the education programs are affordable and English is a widely-spoken language in the Philippines, compared to other Asian nations. Mavic Sevilla of the DOT’s Team Korea shares further, "Many tourists, students and families would further opt to stay in the outskirts of Manila, where it is not so congested or hectic." The Korean visitors who stopped by the Philippine booth were attracted to its festive theme and they especially enjoyed the dried mango samplers given to them.
Other National Pavilions were also hotspots for parents, especially if the country’s major language is English. Said one Korean visitor who was interested in sending her son to Canada: "I want my son to be fluent in English because English is spoken in almost any part of the world. So wherever he goes, he will understand what he hears and reads." She was glad she was also able to talk to the institutes and embassies that were also open throughout the fair. All in all, it was a smashing success.
In the same week, the Department’s Team Korea moved along to set up booth in the Daegu Tour Expo 2007. There, they garnered three prestigious awards: Best in Tourism Publicity, Best in Booth Operation and Best in Folkloric Performance. With the classic Filipiniana costumes and unbeatable dance talent, the Philippine dance team was a classic cultural masterpiece in the Tour Expo.
Through its active Team Korea headed by the dynamic Maricon Basco, the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) has been promoting the Philippines as a world-class tourist destination of 7,107 beautiful islands to the Koreans. The PDOT also has an extension in Seoul, Korea, manned by Korean Marketing Assistants Hyun-Sook Oh "Sook" and Eung-Hwa Kim "Pax". Together with its extended office right in the heart of Seoul, the PDOT Team Korea has successfully taken part in many fairs and events.
Congratulations to the Philippine Department of Tourism and may they continue their successful endeavors in promoting the Philippines as a place of learning and a beautiful, world-class getaway for every tourist.
(Check out the Department’s websites for more information: www.wowphilippines.com.ph and/or www.wowphilippines.or.kr for the Korean version.)