DOT: No one left behind in digitalizing Philippine tourism

MANILA, Philippines — In digitalizing Philippine tourism, the Department of Tourism (DOT) vowed on Wednesday that “no one will be left behind” as the agency aims to modernize and make the country more accessible to potential tourists.

During the launch of the agency’s partnership with the foreign travel platform Klook in Pasay City on Jan. 15, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco stated that “digitalization was one of the most frequently mentioned areas in need of urgent intervention” when the agency, along with tourism stakeholders, began formulating the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028.

The DOT acknowledged that “with the introduction of digitalization comes the risk of leaving certain sectors behind, as the offerings of our traditional tourism enterprises may not necessarily have access to the digital sphere.”

“In the initial conversations that we had, we made it very clear that as far as the DOT is concerned, we must leave no one behind in the digitalization and democratization of travel in the Philippines,” said Frasco.

“The DOT’s partnership with Klook aims to ensure access for our tourism stakeholders – including travel agents and tour operators – to Klook’s global network of users, enabling our stakeholders to benefit from this initiative, whether through flights into or around the Philippines,” she added.

The project between the DOT and Klook will feature curated travel and tour packages developed through the agency’s Philippine Experience Program (PEP), heritage, culture and arts caravans, which are now available for booking on the travel platform’s website and mobile application.

The PEP roadshows are among the DOT’s flagship projects aimed at encouraging tourism stakeholders to develop products and services that highlight both popular and emerging destinations across the regions.

Tour packages featuring the regions of Ilocos, Bicol, Calabarzon and Western Visayas, along with the popular island destination Palawan, are now available on Klook, according to Michelle Ho, the platform’s general manager for the Philippines.

Klook will also offer airport transfers and day tours at its booths at Clark International Airport and Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Additionally, Ho mentioned that Klook booths are now set up in the DOT’s tourist rest areas.

Klook’s partnership with the DOT aligns with the goal of making travel “much more than just creating memories, but a force for good that can transform economies and change lives,” according to the platform’s co-founder and president, Eric Gnock Fah.

“Through our collaboration with local merchants, we’ve seen firsthand the dedication and passion that Filipinos bring to their craft. The authenticity is really woven into the fabric of each experience,” he said.

Fah added that he hoped the collaboration between DOT and Klook would be “a truly significant step towards digital transformation, which will elevate the local tourism industry, inspire a new generation of travelers and support the tourism economy of the Philippines.”

Aside from the partnership with Klook, the DOT has also launched its own initiatives to introduce digitalization, including the Travel Philippines mobile application, the Tourist Assistance Call Center and the Philippines Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours mobile application.