Secretary of Tourism Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. leaves for Germany this week to lead a 41-man delegation from the Philippines that will participate in the annual International Tourismus Bourse (ITB), the world’s largest travel trade show. Scheduled on March 7-11, 2012 in Berlin, ITB includes booth exhibits of national and local tourist offices, travel-related companies and other service providers.

“Our participation in ITB this year is quite significant because it’s the first time for us to roll out the ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ campaign in a global event,” Jimenez said. He added, “About half of the travel business is traded through the international travel bourse.” The tourism chief explained that the ITB is institutional among travel wholesalers where direct selling and networking is done.

He said that unknown to many people, a big percentage of travel packages are bought from the travel bourse as compared with travel packages bought from the Internet, or elsewhere.

We are very confident that the new campaign will create a higher awareness level of the Philippines as an exciting and must-experience destination in Asia as we move towards our goal of 10 million foreign visitors by 2016,” Jimenez further said.

The creation and execution of a new brand is embodied in the National Tourism Development Plan or NTDP, which is the core of the tourism agenda of the Aquino administration.

Source: www.tourism.gov.ph

Words by Bim Legisniana

Garduce on top of the world (Mt. Everest peak) in 2006

Veteran mountain climber Romi Garduce has successfully reached the summit of Vinson Massif on January 5, 2012 at 6:45 PM (Antarctica time). This officially makes him the first Filipino to ever complete the Seven Summits of the World.

Vinson Massif is actually the eighth mountain Garduce has summitted crossing out all peaks in both Richard Bass and Reinhold Meissner’s Seven Summits lists. Garduce went on this five-day expedition with fellow UP Mountaineer Levi Nayahangan and four guides from mountain climbing and trekking guide service Mountain Madness.

Nayahangan, unfortunately, failed to summit due to respiratory infection at the high camp. He has already left the continent and safely arrived Punta Arenas for recovery, “it just was not in the cards for Levi, but he made a great effort to stay with the team as much as he could,” said Mark G. in his blog post for Mountain Madness.

Although the alpine mountain greeted the team with a cold -26 °C, temperature conditions were relatively good throughout the day with mild to moderate winds. “Overall a perfect day and a good strategy played out as a weather system is moving in on Friday that would have likely delayed efforts to reach the summit had they been one day behind the schedule they have maintained,” adds Mark.

Antarctica’s 4892 m giant: Vinson Massif. Photo courtesy of Mountain Madness

Garduce started his quest for the Seven Summits in 2002 when he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5895 m. From then on, it has been a series of sweet successes and sufferfests for Romi. After Mt. Kilimanjaro, Garduce has summitted Mt. Aconcagua in 2005 (South America; 6969 m), Mt. Everest in 2006 (Asia; 8848 m), Mt. Elbrus in 2007 (Europe; 5642 m), Mt. McKinley (North America; 6194 m) and Mt. Kosciuzko (Australia, Bass’s list; 2228 m) both in 2008, Puncak Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid in 2011 (Australia, Meissner’s list; 4884 m), and finally, Antarctica’s tallest at 4892 m–Vinson Massif or Mount Vinson.

Garduce’s decade-long quest for the Seven has finally been concluded but may this ignite each Filipino’s drive to pursue greater heights. Congratulations, Romi! You have made the country proud!

References:

http://www.romygarduce.com

http://www.mountainmadness.com

Words by Caloy Libosada Jr.

New DOT slogan logo

In a media briefing today (Jan 6, 2012) the Department of Tourism led by Secretary Ramon Jimenez and backed up by the PR firm, BBDO Guererro, presented to the eager media the new tourism slogan.

Secretary Jimenez made a short introduction and justification for the slogan. He said that it is centered on the Filipino people ensuring that visitors would have fun in their stay in the Philippines. And that the Filipino people has this trait to be a naturally fun people.

He then highlighted this slogan: IT’S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES.

A national campaign called #1ForFun will also serve to tap the huge domestic travel market.

It took a little while for the media to absorb the full impact of the slogan plus some more catchy statements from the Secretary.

Sample marketing videos for both international and domestic markets were also presented and the whole audience finally got the full meaning of the message. That the country’s best tourism resource and marketing medium are its people.

Now, lets see how this will pan out to the Filipinos. Will the people finally buy this and become champions of tourism themselves?