Former Tourism Congress exec welcomes new slogan
MANILA, Philippines—It may not be bombastic but it tells the truth about the Philippines.
A stakeholder in the tourism industry on Saturday lauded the Department of Tourism’s new campaign slogan, “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” for telling it as it is.
Jaime Cura, a former vice-president of the Tourism Congress, said the slogan captures not just the fun-loving nature of Filipinos but also the comment of many foreign travelers after they visit the Philippines.
He said that, with the new slogan and with the many tourism projects going up in the country, the government target of 10 million tourist arrivals by 2016 was doable.
“It does not sound bombastic or pretentious but it is very descriptive of who we are and what foreigners experience here in the country,” Cura said in an interview.
“I think it is a very simple, easy to understand, and easy to recall slogan. It’s an honest statement. It does not promise something that we don’t have,” he added.
Cura said Filipinos were fun-loving, “even to a fault,” and many foreign travelers who have visited the country always comment on the fun that they had here.
“My foreign friends tell us when they say goodbye that they had so much fun during their stay. So instead of copying other countries with their taglines, we should focus on this aspect that has already been proven,” Cura said.
“All Filipinos should have ownership of this slogan and help spread the good news,” he added.
Cura, who represents the real estate sector, said the stakeholders in the tourism industry were upbeat about the country’s prospects in the coming years despite present difficulties.
“The slogan is a rallying cry for our people but we are also doing something about the other problems of (lack of) tourism infrastructure, (developing) more tourism destinations, peace and order, and discipline and cleanliness,” Cura said.
“We’re very upbeat. Three years ago, the tourism industry was only identified with travel agencies and tour operators. Now, the real estate sector is in the thick of the action,” he said.
“When it comes to the lack of hotels or resorts, that problem is now being addressed by big names like SM, Ayala, and Megaworld. If you look at their list of projects, they’re not only developing homes and condominiums but also world-class hotels and resorts,” he added.
Cura said that these developments could help the government achieve its target of 10 million tourist arrivals by 2016, or more than double the 3.7 million tourists who visited the country last year.
“It can be done. Vietnam was able to increase their tourist arrivals four to five times in the last five to six years,” Cura said.
“It can be done provided that there is political will and focus and everybody helps,” he said. And that includes spreading the word that “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
