MANILA -- Visiting athletes and delegates in the Philippines can now access the newly launched tourism webpage for Southeast Asian (SEA) Games visitors, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Tuesday.
The tourism microsite (philippines.travel/seagames2019) will help SEA Games visitors -- both foreign and local tourists, to explore the country while keeping abreast of SEA Games information.
Featured in the microsite are various sports activities, the Philippines’ cultural heritage sites, beaches, local cuisines, and products, among other unique Filipino offerings.
With some 11,000 visitors arriving from the Southeast Asian nations, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said now is the "perfect opportunity" to showcase the best of the Philippines in an accessible manner.
"The soonest they step in the country, our guests already had a glimpse of what the Philippines has to offer. What we want to show them is that all these sporting hubs that they have visited and the Filipino hospitality they have experienced are just a fraction of the fun that awaits them," she said.
She said visitors can experience first-hand the culture of sustainable tourism that is "making the Philippines a preferred destination among visitors".
The website redirects visitors to affordable and DOT-approved tour packages such as guided cultural tours and dining with entertainment shows in Manila; private resorts in Laguna; heritage tours and nature exploration in Ilocos Region and Zambales; beach and diving activities in Batangas, adventure and recreational activities in Pampanga and Tarlac, and many more.
The microsite is powered by the department’s official partner Guide to the Philippines (guidetothephilippines.ph), an online marketplace formed by various DOT accredited tour operators.
In announcing its launch, Romulo-Puyat also enjoined DOT regional offices to ensure that all tourism counters in airports and hotels where the SEA Games delegates are billeted in can provide information on nearby destinations and to assist interested tourists in their purchases.
“Aside from the website, we are also here to assist our guests and athletes to ensure the best tourism experience possible, and to contribute to the smooth implementation and success of the SEA Games in general,” she said.
Before the opening of the SEA Games last Nov. 30, Romulo-Puyat called on volunteers to sign up as Sports Liaison Officers (SLO) to provide additional manpower to some of the sporting events in Clark and Manila which include badminton, bowling, basketball, e-sports, boxing, kickboxing, billiards, squash, shooting, and volleyball.
For the Clark bloc, sports like aquatics (diving and swimming), arnis, athletics, baseball, softball, golf, judo, jiujitsu, kurash, sambo, wrestling, among others.
“Our social media call for SEA Games volunteers gathered thousands of responses and inquiries filling the slots for the Metro Manila and Clark volunteers in just a few hours. This shows the innate hospitality and compassion of the Filipinos to rise to the occasion and show what our nation is really made of,” she said.
The SEA Games will culminate on December 11. (PNA)
