Category: News & Media

Philippine trip trending worldwide in several social media sites

The Philippines has been a hot trending topic in social media sites Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, as some of the world’s sought-after travel and lifestyle influencers from Beautiful Destinations post destination images and videos of their island-hopping around the country.The five-man team from the award-winning creative technology agency that built the largest travel and lifestyle portfolio … Continue reading “Philippine trip trending worldwide in several social media sites”

The Philippines has been a hot trending topic in social media sites Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, as some of the world’s sought-after travel and lifestyle influencers from Beautiful Destinations post destination images and videos of their island-hopping around the country.
The five-man team from the award-winning creative technology agency that built the largest travel and lifestyle portfolio on Instagram and Snapchat, traveled to Cebu, Bohol, El Nido in Palawan, Manila and Hundred Islands in Pangasinan on the invitation of the Department of Tourism (DoT).

Now Tour ‘16 has new dates, deals for next-gen Fil-Ams

WASHINGTON, DC – Filipino Americans aged 18 to 44 looking for excitement and adventure in the Philippines may now sign up for the “Now Philippines Tour” or simply, NOW Tour 2016, to be held on new dates August 26 to September 3, 2016 in Manila, Cebu and Dumaguete. The NOW Tour 2016 is organized by … Continue reading “Now Tour ‘16 has new dates, deals for next-gen Fil-Ams”

WASHINGTON, DC – Filipino Americans aged 18 to 44 looking for excitement and adventure in the Philippines may now sign up for the “Now Philippines Tour” or simply, NOW Tour 2016, to be held on new dates August 26 to September 3, 2016 in Manila, Cebu and Dumaguete.

The NOW Tour 2016 is organized by The Travel Outlet, with the support and cooperation of the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General in the United States, the Department of Tourism, US-Philippines Society and Philippines-based Resort 4 U.

Philippines and Taiwan unite with Silk Holidays

On their first-ever Canadian roadshow, the Philippines visited six western cities – Nanaimo, Victoria, Kelowna, Abbotsford, Edmonton and Calgary. Attracting almost 250 travel professionals in total, 45 local agents gathered at the Coast Plaza Hotel for the Calgary event. “The Philippines hasn’t done a lot of promotions in the past,” said Ricky Poon, VP, Silk … Continue reading “Philippines and Taiwan unite with Silk Holidays”

On their first-ever Canadian roadshow, the Philippines visited six western cities – Nanaimo, Victoria, Kelowna, Abbotsford, Edmonton and Calgary. Attracting almost 250 travel professionals in total, 45 local agents gathered at the Coast Plaza Hotel for the Calgary event.

“The Philippines hasn’t done a lot of promotions in the past,” said Ricky Poon, VP, Silk Holidays, who hosted this “debut” roadshow in partnership with Taiwan and EVA Air. According to Poon, the Philippines and Taiwan are completely different destinations. And with less than a three-hour flight connecting Taipei with either Manila or Cebu, combining the two created an ideal partnership and product.

Silk Holidays announces Philippines & Taiwan winners

Silk Holidays has announced the winners from draws held in conjunction with its recent Fun in the Philippines and Taiwan road shows. The winners include Cyndi Paddock of Marlin Travel Victoria, who received a pair of tickets to the Philippines with EVA Air; and Susan Small of Roblin Travel Chilliwack, who was named the winner … Continue reading “Silk Holidays announces Philippines & Taiwan winners”

Silk Holidays has announced the winners from draws held in conjunction with its recent Fun in the Philippines and Taiwan road shows.

The winners include Cyndi Paddock of Marlin Travel Victoria, who received a pair of tickets to the Philippines with EVA Air; and Susan Small of Roblin Travel Chilliwack, who was named the winner of the upcoming FAM tour to the Philippines and Taiwan

Filipino Restaurant Week

Save the date for the Annual Filipino Restaurant Week in New Jersey, New York, and Pensylvannia this May 14-29, 2018. See poster for the list of participating restaurants. Win Prizes including a Trip to the Philippines! Click  here for the contest details.

Save the date for the Annual Filipino Restaurant Week in New Jersey, New York, and Pensylvannia this May 14-29, 2018.

See poster for the list of participating restaurants.

Win Prizes including a Trip to the Philippines! Click  here for the contest details.

Philippines as the next luxury destination in Asia

Philippines as the next luxury destination in Asia – The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) New York forges partnership with Virtuoso, the largest and most influential luxury travel consortium in North America, to position the country as the next luxury destination in Asia. With this partnership, PDOT aims to attract Virtuoso’s 1.5 million affluent clients … Continue reading “Philippines as the next luxury destination in Asia”

Philippines as the next luxury destination in Asia – The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) New York forges partnership with Virtuoso, the largest and most influential luxury travel consortium in North America, to position the country as the next luxury destination in Asia. With this partnership, PDOT aims to attract Virtuoso’s 1.5 million affluent clients to spend their holidays in the Philippines, and educate about 9,000 travel advisors about the country’s rich culture and island destinations.

Photo: (L-R) Virtuoso’s Senior Vice President Albert Herrera and his Account Executive Xabier Egurin meet with the Philippine Consul General for New York Mario de Leon and the Philippine Department of Tourism New York representatives Zeny Pallugna and Joey Chanco to discuss this marketing initiative. Joining in the meeting is USA and Orient Tours President Joebert Opulencia, who is a bonafide member of Virtuoso.

Philippines gears up for luxury travelers

New York, New York — The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT), through its New York office, forged strategic alliances with key travel consortia in North America to position the country as the next luxury destination in Asia.

PDOT is now a proud member of these leading and most influential travel associations or consortia in the US, namely: Virtuoso with 8,900 travel advisors, 375 member travel companies, and 1.5 million affluent clients; Signature Travel Network with 6,000 preferred travel consultants and 200 member travel companies; and the United States Travel Operators Association (USTOA) with 125 active tour operator members and 700 travel professionals. These partnerships have set a limelight to the country among its mass and emerging affluent market.

PDOT’s joint ventures include travel blogs and webinars to educate the consortia’s preferred travel consultants or advisors, advertorials on online and print publications, and attendance to annual conferences and business meetings.

With this partnership, the Philippines is determined to capture a portion of the wealthiest 5 percent of the American market that take an average 14.3 trips a year compared to the 4.8 trips by an average US Traveler.

“We are hoping that we could entice more affluent travelers to visit the Philippines and experience our unique and authentic culture and island destinations,” according to PDOT New York’s Tourism Officer Zeny Pallugna.

She also said that PDOT and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) are closely working together with high-end travel companies such as Abercrombie & Kent, Ker and Downey, Avanti, and Goway to push the Philippines to their exclusive clients thru joint activities.

While airlines and Online Travel Agents (OTAs) are the main sources of information about a destination, traditional distribution channels, such as travel advisors, remain important for customized itineraries and booking ground arrangements targeting luxury travelers.

Beautiful Destinations, Tourism Philippines team up for a pioneering partnership in Asia

Beautiful Destinations, Tourism Philippines team up for a pioneeringpartnership in Asia New York (May 9, 2016) – For the first time in Southeast Asia, a national tourism organization teams up with the award-winning creative technology agency, Beautiful Destinations, which built the largest travel and lifestyle portfolio on Instagram and Snapchat. From 11 – 24 May 2016, the Philippine … Continue reading “Beautiful Destinations, Tourism Philippines team up for a pioneering partnership in Asia”

Beautiful Destinations, Tourism Philippines team up for a pioneering
partnership in Asia

New York (May 9, 2016) – For the first time in Southeast Asia, a national tourism organization teams up with the award-winning creative technology agency, Beautiful Destinations, which built the largest travel and lifestyle portfolio on Instagram and Snapchat.

From 11 – 24 May 2016, the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) is bringing in to the country five (5) of the biggest influencers from the Beautiful Destinations team who will capture destination images and videos in a unique perspective and curate them in a way that will drive interest amongst its followers and inspire them to visit the Philippines.

The team from Beautiful Destinations will be composed of its Founder and CEO, travel social media expert, Jeremy Jauncey; Head of Brand Partnerships and celebrated travel drone pioneer, Tom Jauncey; Community Manager and London’s top Instagram travel photographer and videographer, Jacob Riglin; world-renowned iPhone-only photographer James Relf Dyer; and the videographer for American DJ duo – The Chainsmokers, Sam Kolder.

Some of the top Philippine destinations that the team will travel to include Cebu, the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines and home to some of the country’s most iconic heritage spots; Bohol, home of the world renowned Chocolate hills and the world’s smallest primate, Tarsier; Palawan, the title-holder for the World’s Best Island according to Conde Nast Traveler; Manila, which was included by travel publication “Lonely Planet” among Asia’s coolest cities; and Pangasinan, home of the Hundred Islands Natural Park.

The Beautiful Destinations team will share moments throughout each day of the trip on the Beautiful Destinations Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, as well as the PDOT’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, reaching more than 10 million followers around the world. The videos will also stream outside the Philippine Center at 556 Fifth Avenue, New York, giving passersby a glimpse of the teams’ daily adventures in Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Pangasinan, and Manila.

In Manila, the PDOT will host an InstaMeet between the Beautiful Destinations team and local travel and lifestyle influencers from the Philippines whose photos have been featured on the Beautiful Destinations Instagram page. The meet will provide a platform, both to
the local and foreign travel influencers, to exchange insights and ideas about photography, travel, and lifestyle. Some of the local influencers invited include celebrated Cebuano furniture designer Vito Selma, Filipino backpackers, and photographers Jaypee Swing and Rod Ruales.

“Advertising is evolving away from an art of interruption and towards an art of inclusion. We’re showcasing living, breathing, destinations stories in real time and are incredibly excited about partnering with the Philippines Department of Tourism to harness the power of Instagram & Snapchat,” said Jeremy Jauncey, Beautiful Destinations Founder and
Chief Executive Officer. Jauncey added that “Shooting what we call social-first content prioritizes unique perspectives shot by social media experts, that captivate travelers in a much more genuine way than content typically shot for print and broadcast campaigns.”

“With the highest percentage of its population highly active on social media compared to any other country, the Philippines has been dubbed as the social media capital of the world. On many occasions, the PDOT would leverage this strength by utilizing social media in most of our campaigns. Social media has, in fact, allowed us to be a gamechange in the tourism industry through our It’s More Fun in the Philippines campaign, whose central strategy is executed and propagated by millions of active, enthusiastic Filipinos themselves, who feel they have the power to persuade people to visit their country as tourists,” says Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr.

“As the social media landscape continues to develop at a rapid pace, we have to adapt to changing times in order to stay ahead of the curve. Collaborating with Beautiful Destinations, which has already set the global standard for creating social content, is surely an effective way to make our country’s presence in the digital space more felt by travelers who are highly reliant on social media,” Secretary Jimenez added.

About Beautiful Destinations:

Beautiful Destinations is the award-winning creative technology agency that built the largest travel & lifestyle portfolio on Instagram and Snapchat. More than 10 million followers in over 180 countries turn to Beautiful Destinations for daily travel, food, fashion and lifestyle inspiration. Beautiful Destinations creates “social first” content for brands through smartphone, drone and 360 video technology; using visual analytics to optimize & enhance content, Beautiful Destinations adopts a data-driven approach to creating brand narratives and effective marketing on social media.

1,200 of the world’s most influential content creators ranging from National Geographic photographers with professional equipment, to everyday travelers with their smartphones, are a part of the Beautiful Destinations community. Paired with content creation, the agency has built and managed Instagram and Snapchat accounts for global brands
including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Airbnb, Marriott International and Food & Wine. For more information, visit www.beautifuldestinations.com or follow: @beautifuldestinations, @beautifulhotels, @beautifulcuisines, @beautifulmatters, @beautifulmenswear (Instagram) and @bdestinations, @bcuisines (Snapchat).

About Philippine Department of Tourism:

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) is the lead government agency in charge of developing the country’s tourism industry as a major socio-economic activity that generates employment, income, and investment for the benefit of the Filipino people. The agency is committed to adhere to the national development goals through the formulation
of policies and implementation of plans and programs that intend to accelerate sustainable development, in addition to positioning the Philippines as a premiere and globally competitive tourist destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. For more information about The Philippine Department of Tourism, visit www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com

CONTACT:

Nick Schweers
Account Manager
Beautiful Destinations
nicks@beautifuldestinations.com

Armand Lorenze Sapitan
Chief Marketing and Promotions Executive, Office of the Tourism Secretary
Philippine Department of Tourism
ren.sapitan.dot@gmail.com

Zeny C. Pallugna
Officer-In-Charge, Philippine Department of Tourism – New York
pdotnewyork@gmail.com

DoT wooing foreign airlines to fly to Philippines

THE GOVERNMENT is courting British Airways, Finnair and other international airlines to fly into the Philippines, in a bid to attract more foreign visitors. Aside from the two European airlines, the Department of Tourism (DoT) has also invited Japanese low-cost carriers Vanilla Air Japan and Air Asia Japan; Switzerland’s Edelweiss Air; Russia’s S7 Airline; Chinese … Continue reading “DoT wooing foreign airlines to fly to Philippines”

THE GOVERNMENT is courting British Airways, Finnair and other international airlines to fly into the Philippines, in a bid to attract more foreign visitors.

Aside from the two European airlines, the Department of Tourism (DoT) has also invited Japanese low-cost carriers Vanilla Air Japan and Air Asia Japan; Switzerland’s Edelweiss Air; Russia’s S7 Airline; Chinese carriers Spring Airlines and Hainan Airlines; Air India; and Air Canada to participate in a familiarization tour called “Hosted Airline Program.”

Albay boosts sports tourism drive with 4 major events

LEGAZPI CITY—Albay unleashes a grand display of its sports tourism power this year, when it hosts several major international and national events, including the 2016 Albay Xterra Off-Road Triathlon and Le Tour de Filipinas in February, and the 2016 Palarong Pambansa and Mayon 360° Ultra Marathon in April. Gov. Joey S. Salceda said these events … Continue reading “Albay boosts sports tourism drive with 4 major events”

LEGAZPI CITY—Albay unleashes a grand display of its sports tourism power this year, when it hosts several major international and national events, including the 2016 Albay Xterra Off-Road Triathlon and Le Tour de Filipinas in February, and the 2016 Palarong Pambansa and Mayon 360° Ultra Marathon in April.

Gov. Joey S. Salceda said these events are sure to push further Albay’s strong tourism surge, this time powered by international and national sports tournaments, and bring hordes of multinational athletes, and foreign and local visitors alike to the province.

PHILIPPINES: Visit The Philippines 2016

Philippines 2015, the tactical program mounted by the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT), was not yet over, but already, as announced by DoT director for market development Ma. Corazon Jorda-Apo, Visit the Philippines 2016 was already underway as early as late last year. The announcement was made early December during a press briefing at the … Continue reading “PHILIPPINES: Visit The Philippines 2016”

Philippines 2015, the tactical program mounted by the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT), was not yet over, but already, as announced by DoT director for market development Ma. Corazon Jorda-Apo, Visit the Philippines 2016 was already underway as early as late last year.

The announcement was made early December during a press briefing at the Stamford Plaza in Auckland, New Zealand following the inaugural flight of Philippine Airlines (PAL) to Auckland via Cairns, Australia on Dec. 2, 2015, the latest in PAL’s growing list of international destinations.

Air talks with three countries readied

The Philippines plans to hold air talks with India, Indonesia and Japan this year to expand traffic rights, the Civil Aeronautics Board said Tuesday. CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the Philippine air panel would confirm the specific dates for the separate air talks with the three countries.

The Philippines plans to hold air talks with India, Indonesia and Japan this year to expand traffic rights, the Civil Aeronautics Board said Tuesday.

CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the Philippine air panel would confirm the specific dates for the separate air talks with the three countries.

Boracay receives more tourists from China, USA

Despite terror warnings, this resort island continues to receive more foreign tourists coming from China, United States of America (USA) and Malaysia. Data from the jetty port administration show that in 2015, Boracay received a total of 1,560,106 foreign and local tourists and overseas Filipino workers. South Korea continue to be at the top spot … Continue reading “Boracay receives more tourists from China, USA”

Despite terror warnings, this resort island continues to receive more foreign tourists coming from China, United States of America (USA) and Malaysia.

Data from the jetty port administration show that in 2015, Boracay received a total of 1,560,106 foreign and local tourists and overseas Filipino workers.

South Korea continue to be at the top spot with 292,174 tourists arrivals; China with 177,926; Taiwan with 57,765; Malaysia, 34,970; USA, 25,403; Singapore, 16,446; United Kingdom, 14,210; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 14,210; and Japan with 12,195.