Truly Filipino: The Department of Tourism and the Philippine Blogging Community
(Photo Credits: Pasyalera)
I read the article that ran today: RP tourism competitiveness slips five notches which said:
The country last year occupied the 81st spot among the more than 130 countries included in the study. This year, the country fell five notches to No. 86.
Its bad enough that the infrastructure in the North have been battered by Ondoy and Pepeng, then here comes the bad news on tourism. But let me leave that infrastructure and standards for them to figure out. For me, goodwill is important. Image is everything. Priority-wise, if we can’t compete with the best facilities the rest of the world can offer, Filipino’s friendliness, warmth smile and hospitality is ours to lose into negativity if customer service continues to flunk by world standards. That is non-negotiable koya.
Now, there are a lot of variables at play to move our tourist industry at par with the best of the worlds. But one factor that the Department of Tourism has not tapped in yet, is the Philippine blogging community.
We all marvel at how Malaysians did it with their “Truly Asia” campaign. That success would put Malaysian tourism firmly on the ground. There’s no reason why we can’t do better.
Now, while checking the Wow Philippines page (again!), I was not too wowed:
- That uberly annoying music on Wow Philippines site has to be turned off. Gawd!!! That is so not wow and not very pleasing to ones ears.
- Wow Philippines website severely needs one major overhaul. Its time for version 2.0 since this is supposed to be the Philippines window to the world, showcasing tourism not the animal industry with a very jurassic layout and some very unfriendly pages.
- Pictures tell a story. In Explore Philippines page, there’s not much to explore with those very poor photography. In fact, its begging for a new digital camera.
Interestingly, the Department of Tourism has not yet discovered nor have they recognized what the Philippine blogging community has done and the great contribution they made to tourism. In effect, these bloggers have been the de-facto marketing arm of the Tourism Industry. Why not partner with them? They can do the job better.
Like what these two friends are doing: Pasyalera. Great photography. Crisp pictures. Truly personalized travel adventures. The best part? Its complete with booking and rates information that matters to foreign travellers. Theirs is like the Philippines’ version of the Lonely Planet Guide.
I believe that a partnership by the Department of Tourism with the Philippine blogging community is a win-win strategy. It’s a strategy that is based on the Filipino value of bayanihan at the same time tapping into the powerful drivers of information today, blogging.
- Its about time for the Department of Tourism to recognize the Philippine blogging community’s contribution to the tourism industry through information sharing.
- Assign one travel blogger per region, province or city. Let them cover the events in those places.
- Assign one regional blogging director to monitor the travel blog activities that goes into the Tourism website.
- Of course, you’ll need a budget. But I could guarantee you, it should not be as expensive as Malaysia’s Truly Asia project.
Now, will this move our ranks to the top of the world? It’s no guarantee. But technology is something that cannot be ignored by the Department of Tourism. Its got some benefits waiting to be tapped that probably none in the world has tried yet. And one of the best way to compete with the rest is to be different.
Why not separate yourself from the pack.
Be the first mover.
Pull the bloggers.
Now, that’s Truly Filipino.
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ya I agree.
Hindi pa nga talaga ganong kaimpluwensya ang internet marketing sa mga Filipino pero dapat marunong silang makibagay sa kung ano ba ang global demand. Kaya nga turismo, so ang tinatarget eh mga taga ibang bansa, at ano ba ang patok sa ibang bansa lalo na when it comes to looking for something that they want such as vacation spot? INTERNET!!!! so dapat more than presentable ang ipakita nila sa website at sa mga write ups about dito..
its one cheap marketing vehicle, taz magagaling ang mga pinoy sa blogging as in do you remember yung friendster nung circa sumtin’ sumtin’? hahaha parang kelan lang hehehe
Let me guess, this is being handled by the government?
Most of the websites we have back home that’s suppose to be promoting the Philippines as a vacation paradise are soooooo dry. We have so many talented graphics designer and super awesome influential bloggers who they can tap to improve these Halloween websites.
Tip: Ask for the advice of the one who won in the recent Philippine Blog Awards 2009 in the travel category. I believe he/she/they have the wisdome to tell Wow Philippines how to be really WOW!!!
who?! hahaha! me mga nanalo dun na nakakatawa ang mga websites. i guess basta lang me manalo hehehe
Korek ka Reynz, we have so many travel and photog bloggers out there who I think will lend a hand to the DOT, if only given proper credit and recognition.
they’re out there, ang gagaling nilang mag-blog. isa na dun etong na stumble kong si pasyalera dot com. ang galing nung presentation nung blog nila
Hi there Reynz!
Thanks a bunch for all the compliments. We just do hope that in our own lil ways, we’re also able to promote our country worldwide.
what can i say, you guys are doing great with your blogging. keep up the good work! hopefully DOT notices you. kayo na lang kaya ang mag ayos nang site na yon? haha
Hehehehe! Thanks! Thanks! Sana nga. Kung bibigyan ba nila kami ng chance eh, why not diba?
Great points Reynz. Aside from the battered North, Cebu is an equal alternative and Mindanao waits for more focus and financial priorities…
woohoo! i agree with you dfish!!!
Mindanao is like treasure that has been left untouched.
@monique,
i lurve mindanao esp davao. kahit na nung panahon pang mega-work ako sa makati, pati na cebu. i love those places.
Who wouldn’t love Davao. walang traffic. mura food. may mga malls. would you imagine na meron akong naging classmate (who was originally from Manila) before na akala niya Davao was so Rural (at 1992) that he thought ang aabutan niyang mga bahay eh bahay kubo!
waaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!
Naloka ako. Namangha siya na may eroplanong umaabot sa amin! lol.
When you come home to da Pilipins, I will open my house to you guys. Basta andun lang ako. hehehe.
true! true! BTW, are you back in blogging?
I agree with your great points Reynz… specially when you mentioned the “Malaysia, Truly Asia” campaign. It made me wonder so I visited their Tourism Website and my…my…my.. what a bold difference. We’ve got the most talented programmers in the Philippines working for U.S. companies…. I’m sure the government can spend a great deal to finance a website overhaul, hiring our talented programmers much much less than a $19K bill from Le Cirque don’t you think?
oo nga ano? bat nga ba hindi?
$19k Le Cirque is a lot of money for travel bloggers. i don’t think gusto nilang ibahagi yung budget to improve the tourism website.
i do like the “my philippines” youtube video…pero sa totohanin ay ang mga pilipino mismo ang pambato ng pilipinas…may friends and family understand that. but is that enough to bring tourist in? nope. dahil superficial nga ang mga tao.
but anything that the government does, sucks! (last time ako sa pinas eh ang advertising natin ay welcome to bird flu-free philippines” lang ang naipagyayabang. so why not encourage young bloggers…passionate na sila at cheap pa.
but first and foremost, kahit anong palasyo or paraiso ang i-build nila eh dapat talaga ay security ang priority natin. then, come up with better tranpostation.
so anyway, bakit di i-pioneer ng barriosiete ang promo para sa pinas. madalas naman kasi ay anti government tayo. focus ulit sa magagandang nangyayari…sa bayanihan…sa LFW-local finoy workers.
i’d have to correct you on this one brother.
i don’t think barrio siete dot com is anti-government per se. there is a difference between being “anti-government” and/or “anti-[insert politician's last name here]” dahil being anti-government is more like eradication of the entire system and that’s not what we propose here. most of our opinion just happens to be in line with pinoy majority and obvious naman ang dysfunctionality nang ilan sa gobyerno but this does not mean that our opinions are across the board.
hehe…that’s what i mean. didn’t mean to sound like im trying to single-out b7. i meant pinoy in general are suspicious of the establishment and very vocal about it. i just wish more positives about the philippines, like penaflorida, yung thriller youtube sa jail, my philippines, etc. are on the internet. dito, we try our best to demonstrate pinoy sense of community and hospitality and showcase our culture. and i remind people na regardless how hard and simple life is in the philippines, we always know how to have a good time and always put family/community first…and that is very attractive sa mga tao rito. they always know what to expect around pinoys….feeling at-home.
grabeh talaga ang powers ng internet.
sadly, ang government naten eh mukang enjoy na enjoy pa sa typewriter haha
thanks for blogging this, will blog about my visit to Palawanan esp the trip to the Underground River and El Nido!!! OMG ang ganda ng small lagoon!!!
who knows what they do with the budget. we keep hearing “no budget”. given na walang budget (kunyari lang) there’s a way…
You will enjoy El Nido! I was there twice.
wala silang pambayad ng mag o-overhaul ng website at sa matinong photographer at pictures.
per may budget ang DILG para sa mga cities na merong mga festival. dito nga ngayon sa sorsogon eh week-long ‘kasanggayahan festival’. eh dry naman.
hahahaha.
and ending sa friday, may pantomina sa kalsada. holiday.
festivals alone are not being focused much dun sa tourism website. i don’t see any of those samantalang unang unang pinupuntahan nung mga foreign travelers eh yong website na yun. bubulaga seyo ang pagka leche lecheng music.
Eh ang problema, sa halip na gumawa ng attracting website to promote philippines, anong masasagap mo sa internet abuot davao, mindanao and palawan? di ba puro patayan etc ek ek.. kaya sa halip na maaatract yung vacationist, ayun agad ng mawawala ang mga lugar na yun sa list ng option nya.. though hindi rin naman natin macocontrol ang pagpopost na masasamang balita sa mga lugar na yun, .. tsk
Our government agencies are way behind in internet marketing. Dapat talaga mag-hire sila ng mga bloggers to run the site.
Yun bang mag-hire sila ng blogger na puedeng nilang bigyan ng chance to explore Philippines in his/her own eyes. Then, he/she will blog about the adventures.
Tama ka Reynz, Pasyalera can deliver the goods.
Hayz, I hope someone from the Department of Tourism can read this very relevant post.