Tourism chief backs Duty Free bid to win award

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. has expressed his full support to the state-owned Duty Free Philippines  (DFP) and vowed to bring in more tourists who could be potential duty free shoppers.

Jimenez made the remarks after he was briefed on the agency’s operations at the DFP complex in Parañaque City last September 12.

DFP was created to primarily augment service facilities for tourists and generate foreign exchange and revenue for the country’s tourism-related projects.

Thus, every hard-earned dollar   spent   at   a   duty free store contributes to the development of the country’s tourism industry as  DFP is an attached agency of the DOT by virtue of Republic Act No. 9593.

DFP chief operating officer Lorenzo “Enchong” Formoso presented to  Jimenez the ongoing store improvement and development program and its intense marketing and social media promotions.

Jimenez was delighted to hear that DFP made it to the finals of the 27th Frontier Awards (the “Oscars of the Travel Retail Industry”) under the Best Marketing Campaign Category.

Thus, Jimenez has appealed for the Filipinos’ support and prayers that DFP bags the award.

The Frontier awards gives recognition to retail marketing in the travel-retail sector worldwide and this year,    focus is on    creativity,    customer    awareness   and translation into customer sales.

The DFP won its first Frontier Award as Best Duty Free Airport Retailer in 1989 during the Cory Aquino administration and it is hoping to garner the Best Marketing Campaign Award again in the present Aquino administration with its entry “Pasalubong Shopping with the Family”—a new media campaign and cyberspace promotions program.

The program includes its website (www.dfp.com.ph), Facebook fanpage and Twitter accounts, viral ad, online support   chat, video networking, RSS Feeds, as well as its OOH or Out-of-Home advertising which featured transit  ad wraps and other unorthodox means to promote  DFP Pasalubong Shopping to  its market composed of the Overseas Filipino Workers,  Balikbayans and Regular Filipino travelers and their families.

The 27th Frontier Awards to be attended by international tourism delegates, major travel retail suppliers/ brand representatives  and major operators from the travel retail industry,  shall be held on September 21 at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France.