President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. has urged the public to help in promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination.
During the 50th anniversary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday, June 27, at the Manila Hotel, Marcos called for the Filipino nation to act as tourism ambassadors of the Philippines.
The President stressed that the country will "never run out of places to discover, of meals to enjoy, adventures to experience, people to meet, and talents to admire".
"I enjoin you all to be our country’s promoters, advocates, and if I may borrow a coined term in this age of social media, be our country’s top influencers," he said.
"Let’s take pride and celebrate the love we have of our country and our people; for it is the same love that gave meaning to the establishment of the Department of Tourism, and the same love that will propel our tourism industry moving forward into the future," the Chief Executive added.
Marcos also lauded the new tourism slogan of the country, 'Love the Philippines', that the DOT unveiled during the event.
He said that the new branding of the DOT will serve as guidepost or the Philippine tourism industry moving forward.
"The campaign that you have conceptualized aims to enhance the overall experience of every traveler. Included in that list of targets are to promote regional products, build more infrastructure for ease of travel, and champion green movements, amongst others," the President said.
Marcos also affirmed his commitment to advancing the tourism industry country.
"This prioritization goes deeper than merely stimulating economic activities and generating job opportunities. It springs from the genuine love that you, me, and all of us have for the Philippines," he said.
Marcos mentioned the National Tourism Development Plan for 2023 to 2028, which he approved last March.
"The five-year plan stemmed from this Administration’s determination to implement programs that will positively transform our country towards being a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the coming years," he assured.
