MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) and Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism signed on Sunday, Jan. 19, a new 5-year tourism cooperation deal that aims to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.
In a news release, the DOT said that the inking of the “Implementation Program of the Agreement on Cooperation on Tourism” between Thailand and the Philippines follows the longstanding partnership established by the original agreement, signed on March 24, 1993 in Manila.
Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Thailand Minister of Tourism and Sports Mr. Sorawong Thienthong officially signed the agreement at the DoubleTree Hotel in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
“For the Philippines, this collaboration provides an exciting opportunity to tap into Thailand’s remarkable success in attracting visitors, particularly in areas such as cultural tourism and medical tourism,” Secretary Frasco said.
“We can benefit from Thailand’s robust arrival numbers, its internationally recognized cultural heritage, and world-class medical services, which will undoubtedly enhance our own tourism offerings,” Frasco added.
Frasco also mentioned that Thailand stands to gain from the Philippines through the agreement its expertise in hospitality, dive tourism, and English language tourism.
“In return, Thailand stands to gain from the Philippine expertise in hospitality, where we have earned a reputation for excellence. Additionally, the Philippines is a premier destination for dive tourism—home to some of the world’s most biodiverse marine ecosystems—and for English language tourism, where our world-class language schools attract students from all over the globe,” the Philippine Tourism Chief added.
Minister Thienthong expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Thank you for this MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] signing, for exchanging our knowledge and technology and we are looking forward to working with the Philippines”.
Photo shows Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Thailand Minister of Tourism and Sports Mr. Sorawong Thienthong during the sigining ceremony at the DoubleTree Hotel in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. (Courtesy of Department of Tourism)
Key Areas of Focus
The program, set to run from 2025 to 2030, aims to enhance bilateral tourism cooperation, promoting mutual growth and development within the tourism sectors of both nations, DOT mentioned.
Key areas of focus have been outlined to facilitate this collaboration:
Tourism Cooperation: Efforts will be made to strengthen travel facilitation, enhance research and development, and improve tourism management and operations. Capacity building, training, and joint marketing efforts will also be prioritized.
Exchange of Best Practices: A core component of the program will be the exchange of successful strategies in sustainable tourism, cultural heritage tourism, tourism product development, and domestic tourism development.
Human Resource Development: The program encourages collaboration between tourism-related institutions to share technical materials and conduct training programs aimed at enhancing the skills of tourism professionals.
Exchange of Officials and Staff Delegation: visits will be organized to facilitate capacity building and the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Joint Tourism Promotions and Marketing: Collaborative marketing initiatives will focus on increasing tourist traffic between the two countries. This includes joint promotional packages and familiarization tours for media and travel agents.
To ensure successful implementation, a Joint Working Group (JWG) will be established to oversee coordination and monitor the activities and deliverables of the program, DOT confirmed.
“The signing of the Implementation Program of the Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism between our two nations underscores our deep cultural, economic and historical connections. As we position ourselves as “two countries, one destination”, we recognize the incredible potential of combining our strengths to offer travelers a truly unforgettable experience,” enthused Secretary Frasco.
