‘Bisita, Be My Guest’ program launched in LA to...

we will able to garner over 4.8 million international visitors and anticipate a 100 percent recovery for international travel next year,” she said.

This projection, she said, is earlier than what was projected before she assumed office that the country would reach the pre-pandemic travel numbers by 2025. The country recorded 8.26 million visitors in 2019.

She likewise expressed gratitude for the overwhelming response they got from the U.S.-based Filipinos.

“Thank you so much for continuing to champion the Philippines by showing your love for our country and your great interests across our islands. As we are very excited to launch this program here in the United States and we are very hopeful that with the help of our fellow Filipinos here in the United States, we could continue to herald the good news about Philippines, the love and warmth of the Filipinos await you,” she said.

Frasco also assured that the DOT, consistent with its mandate to help in the government’s sustainable growth, is doing its best to come up with various programs like the BBMG, to give not only the country’s tourism sector a boost but also the entire Philippine economy.

She recognized the tourism revenue contribution coming from the domestic front.

“Domestic tourism continues to help our regions and provinces greatly in terms of its contribution to the economy. And that is why we fully foresee, a 100 percent recovery of domestic tourism this year with no less than 122 million domestic trips taken by our fellow Filipinos. All of these translate to the most important purpose of pushing for Philippine tourism and that is the livelihood and employment of our fellow Filipinos. The tourism industry generated no less than 5.2 million for employment jobs for Filipinos last year,” she noted.

Prior to the U.S. launch, the DOT met with various travel stakeholders and Filipino communities in Japan and Germany to continuously promote the Philippines as a prime tourist destination.

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“Since the start of the Marcos administration, we have begun the work of aggressively promoting the Philippines worldwide. As a matter of fact, I just returned from ITB Berlin, having brought the biggest Philippine delegation. Thankfully, with the support of our friends from various places in Europe, that particular exhibition generated for the Philippines $250 million in negotiated sales,” she said.

“We are also very grateful for the opportunity to have pitched for the Philippines in various jurisdictions including the United Kingdom as well as Saudi Arabia. We’ve also been to Thailand as well as Japan and many other jurisdictions by maintaining our positive relationship with fellow government ministers as well as our government-togovernment relations, country to country,” she added.

To be able to attain their goal of 100 percent recovery by 2024, she said aside from BBMG and other tourism development initiatives, the DOT head said the Marcos administration is seeing to it that it would maintain friendly relationships with other nations.

“We are blessed by the fact that our president maintains a stance to be a friend to all and enemy to none and that has benefitted Philippine tourism greatly because our dual partnerships with countries that share our interests and the push for tourism continues to be sustained,” she said.

When asked about peace and order concerns, Frasco said while she has not encountered any from her meetings with the tourism stakeholders, she assured that the Philippine government, coinciding the implementation of these tourism promotion strategies, is making sure that security and peace and order in the country’s tourism destinations are of utmost priority.

The BBMG event in Southern California also highlighted exhibition booths from various travel agencies, aviation and airline firms, real estate and Filipino American entrepreneurs. Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano was also a guest performer at the launch.

BBMG was officially launched by DOT last December 13, 2022. Aside from the DOT, the campaign, which will run from January 2023 to April 2024, will also include participation from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Under the incentive program, registrants will be provided with a travel passport that they can use to go across key destinations, get stamps, and claim a prize at the airport. This will also give them a privilege card featuring discounts at accredited establishments across the country. There are also raffle prizes for qualified sponsors. For more details about the program, you can go to http://bbmg.philippines. travel. (by Donnabelle Gatdula-Arevalo/AJPress) n

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Philippine Travel Fair in Los Angeles, California.

The program aims to bring in more foreigners by tapping Filipinos, especially those based abroad, who have foreign spouses or friends. Those who will be able to bring foreign visitors can win condominium units, airplane tickets and holiday packages in select destinations.

Frasco said the agency, along with the Department of Migrant Workers and the Tourism Promotions Board, brought the BBM-G program to the U.S. “to give opportunities to fellow Filipinos to become ambassadors for the Philippines.” n