DOT revives ‘More fun in the Philippines’ campaign

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is revitalizing the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign and has again tapped BBDO Guerrero Inc., the same agency that came up with the slogan in 2012.

“After three months and two rounds of highly competitive bidding, advertising agency BBDO Guerrero Inc. was awarded the contract to refresh the ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ branding campaign and complementing them is Touch XDA Inc. that would serve as the media planning and buying agency that will steward strategic international placements,” the DOT said in a statement yesterday.

The DOT earlier posted four major projects up for bidding by interested advertising agencies.

Among these contracts are the creative agency to refresh the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” branding campaign; a media planning and buying agency for the strategic international placements of the branding campaign; a creative agency to communicate sustainable tourism in the Philippines and a digital marketing agency to promote the Philippines as a model of sustainable tourism in Asia.

Apart from bagging the project to refresh the branding campaign, BBDO Guerrero was also awarded the contract to develop a digital public relations campaign for the Philippines as a premier sustainable tourism destination.

In addition, the DOT picked DDB Philippines Inc. to promote sustainable and responsible tourism in the country, using a comprehensive research study as basis.

It’s More Fun in the Philippines was launched in 2012 by the DOT and BBDO after it bagged the contract to “shape all forms of communication for the country’s domestic and international tourism promotions.”

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the refreshed campaign would be launched internationally in the first quarter of 2019 with a spotlight on sustainable tourism.

“Expect that in the coming months and throughout the year, the DOT will be aggressive in promoting the best of the Philippines to our international source markets,” Puyat said.

The DOT will market the Philippines as one of the pioneering countries for sustainable tourism. This direction puts a focus on carrying capacity, biodiversity preservation and sustainability in the tourism industry.

While the DOT worked hard to achieve its target, it still has fallen short of its 7.4 million tourist arrivals target for 2018 after it recorded only 7.1 million arrivals. 

Puyat said that the six-month closure of Boracay, one of the country’s top tourist attractions, was one of the factors that contributed to the decrease in tourist arrivals for 2018. 

But Puyat said the 7.1 tourists who visited the Philippines last year is already the “highest ever” number in the Philippine tourism industry as compared to previous years. 

The DOT said that the 7.1 million tourist arrivals for 2018 is 7.65 percent higher than the 6.6 million in 2017. 

“This is time to celebrate the 7.1 million tourist arrival count – the highest ever in our country’s history while at the same time championing the cause of an economic activity that can support and transform lives of common Filipinos,” Puyat said. – With Robertzon Ramirez