'More fun' campaign lures more tourists

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday welcomed the sustained increase in the number of tourist arrivals in the country following the launch of the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Department of Tourism (DOT) under Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. has announced the good news that 2.14 million foreign travelers visited the country from January to June this year. The figure was 11.68 percent higher compared to the same period in 2011.

The foreign visitors came from South Korea, the United States, China and Taiwan.

The country is hosting the Philippine Travel Mart 2012 on Aug. 10 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City to boost the tourism industry.

The local tourism industry targets 4.6 million tourists by the end of the year. The government said that if the quota for 2012 would be reached, this would mean an additional 1.5 million tourists, higher than the previous record.

The DOT hopes to increase the number of tourist arrivals in the country yearly to reach 10 million by 2016.

In January, the DOT launched the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign and released its first two TV commercials last April.

The country’s slogan premiered in April on the international news channel CNN (Cable News Network).

Valte said the increase in tourist arrivals in the first half of 2012 is a sign that the Philippines is on track in reaching its targets.

“There are others who are saying our targets are ambitious when it comes to tourism but we continue to believe that we can reach (them),” Valte said over radio dzRB.

She said the country was in need of revenue-generating industries that could boost the economy.

“This is a big thing for us…We are asking for continuous cooperation from everyone to show our friends abroad that it is truly more fun in the Philippines,” Valte said.