DOT 7 unveils Visit Philippines Year 2015 program

Coron, Palawan (ShutterStock image)

CEBU CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 has unveiled in Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu in Cebu City Monday the agency’s latest campaign dubbed as Visit Philippines Year (VPY) 2015, an invitation for foreign and local tourists to discover and explore the Philippines by joining various events and activities set for the whole year.

Domingo Ramon Enerio III, chief operations officer of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the DOT, said the campaign aims to recover the stature of the Philippines being the preferred meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) destination in Asia.

“We have been absent for so long in Mice. We used to be number one in Mice in Asia during the 80s and ranked eighth in the world. However, we weren’t able to sustain it and unfortunately, we are now at the tailend with neighboring countries overtaking us,” said Enerio.

He said the campaign will help the country be known as a Mice destination that is beyond business meetings and conferences, but also as cultural, adventure, and lifestyle festivals destination suitable to all types of tourists.

Enerio invited all tourism stakeholders in Region 7 to participate in the nationwide campaign by registering their activities in the VPY 2015 website at http://visitph2015.com.

The website lists all events that will take place in 2015 from arts to entertainment, adventure, business and culture that aim to highlight strategic tourism products and services.

Event organizers who wish to enlist their activities are required to register online and provide minimum data of the event.

But the event will still undergo a vetting procedure by the TBP secretariat before it will be approved.

“To qualify, the event must be of international and national significance. It should have the opportunity to promote a destination,” said Enerio.