By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
ATTENTION overseas Filipinos, going to the Philippines is now just a click away. If you are tired of the usual long lines and slow processing of your application just to visit your loved ones here, the good news is that the Department of Tourism (DoT) has launched a new Travel Mall service on its Experience Philippines site that targets Filipinos in North America.
The Travel Mall is an interactive mall that will allow Filipinos in North America to shop virtually, book tickets, and even reserve hotel rooms to make their visit here more convenient. The DoT also lets people easily access all of the 7, 107 islands of the country through its partnership with accredited travel agencies in North America.
The Travel Mall and the whole Experience Philippines site is part of the marketing strategy employed by the DoT for North America as it shifts from traditional to online media. According to Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano: “Traditional media doesn’t work as much as it used to… this generation uses the Web for entertainment, for education, and for work. The platform for us had to be the Web… and three years ago we decided that at least 90 percent of our resources, 90 percent of our energy, will be using this platform to reach out to our target market.”
Experience Philippines is also an interactive travel site that allows users to plan, organize, and share their travel experiences here. Visitors can post pictures, videos, and even blog entries of the places they visited so that others can see and will hence be enticed to visit here.
Durano announced the launch of the Travel mall in a press conference on January 24 at the St. Francis Shangri-La Place showroom in Mandaluyong City.
Apart from virtual shopping, the Travel Mall also allows users to read articles and news from the DoT to keep them updated about the Philippines or their hometown.
Newlyweds or tourists planning to visit the Philippines for their honeymoon or vacation can also have a highly personalized online service through the Travel Mall’s themed packages service. Apart from that, medical and leisure packages are also available for families, retirees, and sports lovers.
Finally, to top off DoT’s New Year start, Durano has tapped famous Fil-Am video blogger Christine “HappySlip” Gambito as the DoT ambassadress for the North American market. HappySlip is a YouTube sensation, known for her comic acting and portrayal of characters bearing a distinct Filipino accent.
Christine herself was born in the Philippines but left when she was still a year old, so this is in effect her first time in the country. She said it would be an excellent way to promote the country as she will be sharing personal, first-time experiences. Christine will be video blogging her visits to the country’s top tourist destinations, including Boracay, Tagaytay, and Puerto Princesa, among others. To end her visit, Christine will be visiting her father’s hometown in Nueva Ecija to reconnect with relatives and to immerse herself in the rich culture of her native province.
As an end note, I found it funny that, during the press conference, media people couldn’t resist the urge to have their pictures taken with Christine after doing their usual jobs of interviewing and taking photos for their respective media outfits. The press briefing was really a mix of business and pleasure for some journalists. I, for one, am just a beginner fan (is there such a thing?) and have just recently been hooked on Christine’s vlogs due to a friend’s recommendation. As in her videos, Christine was very amiable, witty, and charming. Her wackiness and sense of humor never fail to amuse and amaze me. All in all I would say that it was a smart move for the DoT to tap Christine as its ambassadress for North America.
Youth, humor, and wit are things that we really need in this day and age.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
only 20% of the links in the site seem to work.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
To Mr. Renato Tuazon:
Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, but what do you mean by the Experience Philippines website “does not work”? Maybe it was down when you accessed it or you experienced some technical problems, but the site is definitely online.
If you are referring to the Travel Mall, as clearly stated in the Experience Philippines homepage: “The Travel Mall, a feature which is coming soon, What makes the Travel Mall so unique is that you will be able to compare similar travel packages side-by-side so you can choose the one with the best price, destinations, or itinerary!”
We appreciate feedback but it would also be helpful to express opinions without immediately concluding that the writer is wrong and berating him or her because of your belief that reporters are “spoon fed.”
Regards,
Joey Alarilla
Multimedia Editor
INQUIRER.net
January 28th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Ms. Kwok
I do not know if you tried to use the
Experience Philippines website but it does
not work. The idea is brilliant but it does
not work. maybe you could have tested
the website and wrote about your
experience. I am disppointed that reporters accept as is what they are spoon fed and not check the facts.