DOT holds 1st Tourism Pride Summit

by Info @Brand Zone | September 30, 2023

The Department of Tourism (DOT) held the first-ever Tourism Pride Summit in line with the inclusive development thrust of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

The Summit held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on September 28, 2023 gathered leading figures from the government, academe, tourism, and the LGBTQIA+ community, highlighting how government investment toward this niche market that spends around $200 billion a year can contribute significantly to the growth and development of Philippine tourism. Panel discussions are slated for promoting an inclusive and progressive tourism industry, expanding opportunities through benchmarking successful pride tourism initiatives of other countries, and the role of the creative industry in developing the LGBTQIA+ tourism market, which is projected to reach over $.5 trillion by 2030.

Secretary Frasco led the series of panel discussions, where she was joined by Congressman Christopher “Toff” de Venecia of the Fourth District of Pangasinan; Ronil Villacorta of the Philippine Financial and Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP); Regine Carmelli Reyes of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW); Atty. Regal Oliva, President of Cebu Lady Lawyers Association Inc.; Girly Gravador, owner of Cygnal Travel; and Assistant Professor Rielle Alcantara-Castro of the Asian Institute of Tourism, University of the Philippines Diliman.

Also discussed were the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ professionals and advocating for workplace and gender and development inclusivity; the unique experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals and how their travel stories can enrich the DOT’s mission to create an all-encompassing, secure, and forward-looking tourism industry; LGBTQIA+ trends as a niche market in tourism; educational programs that incorporate LGBTQIA+ awareness and sensitivity training; and policies that harness the power of tourism to promote understanding, respect, and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ travelers and tourism workers, making destinations more inviting for everyone.

”We at the Department of Tourism take pride in the enormous contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community across the tourism value chain in all of the regions of the Philippines. With the very first Tourism Pride Summit, we are responding to global trends that present massive opportunities for growth by pursuing niche markets that will create more jobs in tourism,” said Secretary Frasco.

Para walang gulo.. "WOW, It's More Fun! Love, The Philippines!" na lang — Sen. Lapid

ni Mylene Alfonso | July 7, 2023

Inirekomenda ni Senador Lito Lapid sa Department of Tourism na maaaring gamiting bagong tourism slogan ang “WOW, It’s more fun! Love, the Philippines!”.

Ito ang ibinigay na suhestiyon ni Lapid sa gitna ng kontrobersiya na nilikha ng bagong "Love the Philippines" campaign slogan ng DOT na sa kanyang palagay ay maaaring

magtuldok sa kontrobersiya.

Nabatid na ito ay ang pinagsama-samang dating slogan ng DOT ng bansa kung saan ang “Wow Philippines” na sumikat din noon ay kay dating Tourism Sec. Dick Gordon, ang “It’s more fun in the Philippines” kina dating Tourism Secs. Ramon Jimenez ar Bernadette Romulo-Puyat at ang bagong slogan na “Love the Philippines” kay Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco.

Naniniwala ang senador na kapag pinag-isa ang mga nabanggit na slogan ay mas lalakas pa ang turismo sa Pilipinas.

Kaugnay nito, idinepensa ni Lapid si Frasco sa mga batikos matapos lumabas ang kontrobersyal na promotional video na mga stock footages mula sa ibang bansa at hindi sa Pilipinas.

"Wala po akong nakitang malisya o layuning manloko ng mga tao lalo na kung titingnan natin ito na para lamang sa mga opisyal ng DOT at iba pang “internal stakeholder” at hindi pa pampubliko," wika ni Lapid.

"Hindi pa po nagagawa ang aktuwal na patalastas na gagamitin sa kampanya," dagdag pa ng senador.

Pinagtatawanan na sa buong mundo.. "Love the Phls." slogan, tuloy — DOT

ni Mylene Alfonso | July 6, 2023

Sa kabila nang naging kontrobersiya, nanindigan ang Department of Tourism (DOT) na panatilihin ang kanilang bagong tourism slogan na "Love the Philippines".

Ginawa ni Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco ang kumpirmasyon sa isang panayam sa 2022 Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts and Tourism Statistics Dissemination Forum.

"I think that is evident," maikling tugon ni Frasco nang tanungin kung patuloy na gagamitin ng DOT ang tourism slogan na inilunsad lamang noong Hunyo 27.

Paulit-ulit kasi na binanggit ni Frasco ang ''Love the Philippines'' sa kanyang talumpati, at ipinakita rin ang slogan logo sa stage.

Gayunman, naniniwala si Senador Nancy Binay, chairman ng Senate Committee on Tourism na dapat tanggapin na ng ahensya na hindi na maisasalba ang "Love" slogan lalo't nabalita na sa buong mundo ang nangyari at napagtawanan na ang nabanggit na slogan.

Sa halip, mag-move on na aniya at ibalik na lamang ang slogan noon na "It's more fun in the Philippines".

"Dahil nga sa nangyari, headline na tayo sa buong mundo. Naging laughing stock na ang slogan, at masyado nang tinamaan ang campaign. Nakakalungkot dahil sa unang tapak pa lamang, imbes na umarangkada ay umatras tayo," punto ng Senadora.

"We don't want the slogan to become a national embarrassment and look like losers. Again, huwag nang ipilit. Hindi masama ang magkamali. LOVE was not meant to be. Let us all move on and just bring back the FUN to the Philippines," dagdag pa ni Binay.

Matatandaang inulan ng batikos ang promotional video na "Love the Philippines" dahil sa paggamit ng sinasabing stock footages na kinunan sa ibang bansa.