Hidalgo: It’s more fun in the Philippines

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat presented a refreshed tourism campaign at the National Museum.

The renewed tourism campaign focuses on crowd-sourcing to promote Philippines. Getting the participation of Filipino travelers online will be the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) biggest tool in promoting Philippine tourism.

The public is invited to be part of the fun by sharing their own personal experiences. We are in 2019 with a refreshed sense of purpose, with more and more travelers conscious of their ecological footprints, the cultures and experiences they are consuming, and wanting to know how they can give back. The time is ripe for repurposing the word “fun.” We can attract more domestic and foreign tourists through a wide online promotion which uses photographs and videos posted real-time by travelers in their social media accounts.

Ecotourism is a new catchword in traveling. The host country can advise Tour Operators of what the country can offer in terms of ecotourism. Here in the Philippines, our more than 7,000 islands boasts of natural wonders and unspoiled scenic beauty. Among these are the fantastic Chocolate Hills in Bohol, scenic Mayon Volano in Bicol, the lush wilderness of Mt. Apo and Mt. Kitanglad in Mindanao, the incredible Underground River in Palawan, and Boracay’s pristine white beach in Aklan.

For our outdoor other activities, we can offer mountain trekking and hiking while observing flora and fauna, wilderness exploration, nature photography, bird watching, and spelunking or visiting and studying caves.

One great ecotourism destination is the Hibok Hibok Cave in Camiguin, which is filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Interesting figures can be seen lined along the walls of the cave like the figure of Christ. The cave is also filled with bats hanging upside down on the walls during daytime. The the bat’s manure, guano, is gathered for fertilizers of plants. When bats flying out of the caves in the evening, it is a sight to see.

River rafting like in Pagsanhan Falls is also a great outdoor activity as it is adventurous and a dare for the rafters. Scuba diving is for the experts in this adventure. Camping at permitted areas is popular for groups on tour. The list of things that can be done in the Philippines goes on.

One foreigner, a friend, told me when we toured the country that our country is a jewel of nature. It is the land of forever summer and of hospitable and smiling people.

For the Tourism department, I wish my column could be of use.

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