National Geographic Showcases Travel Destinations in PH and Generating PH Awareness in the UK

MANILA, Philippines – A six-part series showcasing the travel destinations in the Philippines is coming out in the National Geographic Channel, the government said yesterday.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said they intend to showcase and promote the country’s different destinations through various international networks.

An intensified promotional campaign is essential to lure foreign tourists to the Philippines, he added.

In the United Kingdom, 25 double-deck buses and 50 black cabs now sport a uniform design of the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” slogan and logo and different faces of the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

Subway stations, on the other hand, feature images of the Ifugao rice terraces and the Puerto Princesa Underground River, both proclaimed as World Heritage Sites, the DOT added.

Jimenez said the timely execution of the ads has been deliberate and well studied.

“Imagine the gross impact of these ads,” he said.

Jimenez said London has a population of about 7.5 million and attracts around 15 million international visitors.

Generating Phl awareness in UK

“We are generating awareness, not only among the British population, but also among visitors to the United Kingdom, rated number seven among the most visited countries in the world.”

Jimenez said the two-week advertising campaign in buses and underground railways coincides with the worldwide marketing campaign through CNN International.

The campaign through the London cabs will continue until early next year, he added.

Jimenez said the campaign would bring the opportunity to capture the millions of visitors attending the Queen’s Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics.

The London cabs come with a 30-minute digital ad which will feature the 30-seconder “It’s more fun in the Philippines” TVC and 15-seconder tarsier TVC recently launched worldwide via network giant CNN, he added.

Jimenez said the DOT is the very first national tourism organization to advertise through the taxis’ digital platform and these will be shown in the 1,400 units that Verifone Media owns.

“We will soon furnish these cabs with flyers to contain more fun information,” he said.

Phl posters in London

Different Philippine posters are also found at strategic stops near London’s tourist areas like Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

Vertical posters and escalator panels feature the underground river and rice terraces through the memes, “The Underground: More Fun in the Philippines” and “Stairway to Heaven: More Fun in the Philippines.”

The DOT said the UK is a major tourist market for the Philippines, being the top generator from this region. Last year, it ranked 9th overall with an unprecedented 104,000 arrivals, registering a 7.78 percent increase over the 2010 performance.

Jimenez expressed confidence that the country would be able to lure more tourists from the UK to visit the Philippines through the current publicity efforts and other promotional activities.

As for me, I can’t be more than proud for DOT and my government. Their movement towards international marketing campaign is really aggressive and well-thought. They even launched it during the Olympics in London! I heard from a news program here that DOT expense on this campaign is very much lower than international campaign of Malaysia. Now I want to work in DOT. =)

Article Source: Philippine Star by Mayen Jaymalin

Article got from: Wow Philippines in UK

Image Source: ItsmorefuninthePhilippines Facebook