With aid of the marketing section, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the Department of Tourism in Philippines (DOT) has launched a campaign dubbed VPY2015, Visit Philippines Year 2015. The department has the objective of attracting a total of 8.2 million tourists to Manila, Philippines’ capital in 2015.
While addressing a group of foreign travel buyers destined to participate in Philippines’ 25th Travel Mart, the secretary to DOT, Ramon Jimenez Jr., emphasized that tourism is a performance as opposed to numbers, and it is solely dependent on the Philippine locals, as the beautiful scenery is just but a backdrop to the actual performance. In this sense, performance can be aesthetically understood as the conversion of adventures into unforgettable experiences, strangers into close friends, and sights into lasting memories. Tourism stakeholders from the private sector are also expected by the DOT to come out and undertake the campaign by making efforts to boost visitation of Philippines in 2015.
The campaign is set to have a calendar outlining activities and events. These will incorporate all the magnificent works of art ranging from cinema, painting, graphics and performance to music and dance, and theater. The calendar will provide for natural and historic adventures.
In view of the chief operating officer, January’s papal visit, the ministerial conferences and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are all expected to set the pace for visitation in 2015, in addition to such festivals as Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and sporting activities.
APEC sees Philippine host over twenty five thousand visitors internationally, with the November Summit of Leaders marking the peak of such international visitation. Such important international conferences have helped in the placement of Philippines as a major world’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination.
In April of 2015, Manila will experience the 21st century’s greatest culinary event, Madrid Fusion. Here, the world gets to experience food for the future. It is Manila’s pleasure to host visitors with interest in Asian foods come 2015. The event is intended to bring together the world’s outstanding cookery skills. It is therefore believed that the Madrid Fusion affords help in establishing Philippines as the world’s culinary center.
Madrid Fusion has earned recognition among the top international gastronomy meetings held in Madrid every year, and graced by the most elite experts and chefs in the culinary practice. These chefs meet to discuss emerging trends, currents foods and their habits as well as taste evolution. Over 400 chefs from around the five continents come to demonstrate such new food techniques. Gaston Acurio, Grant Achatz, Juan Mari Arzak and Ferran Adria are among the leading chefs who will grace the event.
The chief operating officer also shared the experience of an audio-visual presentation illustrating the many ways in which visitors can derive pleasure in Philippines. The presentation will be available in the abroad travel fairs as well as on the leading social networks for easy access. In an effort to campaign for Philippine visitation, a micro-site has been launched for signing up by stakeholders in order to propel the VPY2015 campaign.
Tourism stakeholders from resorts and hotels, travel agencies and tour guides and operators are encouraged to register on the site phl2015.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com so as to expand their market internationally. This micro-site is the basic directory of what Philippine offers in relation with VPY2015.
