Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero urged the public to give the country's new tourism logo “Love the Philippines" a chance.
While “Love the Philippines” has drawn mixed reactions from the public, Escudero emphasized the importance of giving the new slogan a chance, saying that it only seeks to promote the nation and its tourism offerings beyond fun.
Escudero said that although the previous campaign, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” generated around 4.47 million tourist arrivals in 2013 and 8.26 million before the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, he is willing to give it a chance.
“While I believe in the saying ‘if it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ I am willing to give it a chance,” Escudero said.
Escudero also pointed out that “the effectiveness of a slogan depends on many factors, such as the destination’s unique offerings, target audience, and marketing strategy,” noting that tourism slogans should be “catchy, memorable, and convey a positive message that captures the essence of the destination.”
The statement follows the new slogan launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in line with its 50th anniversary and local netizens’ criticisms after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. unveiled the new tourism advertising catchphrase on June 27.
The new tagline is the government’s attempt to recover from the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic by attracting more international tourists to the country.
“The last thing I want is for our country and people to be seen bickering about our slogan in front of foreigners or tourists—our putative market. I refuse to be part of any such thing until we have given it a chance,” he said.
