Travel and Tourism
Fil-Canadian wins 2-bedroom condo from Bisita, Be My Guest
February 15, 2024, 6:00 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT), led by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, and SM Development Corp. (SMDC) president Jose Mari J. Banzon on Feb. 13 formally awarded a brand new condominium unit courtesy of SMDC Quezon City to one lucky winner of the Bisita, Be My Guest (BBMG) incentive… Read More
Ilocano creatives take center stage in Ilocos Norte’s Tan-ok Festival
February 14, 2024, 5:04 pm
LAOAG CITY – Ilocano creatives from 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte will take the center stage during the 11th Tan-ok ni Ilocano Festival, the grandest cultural showdown set on Feb. 16 at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Sports Stadium here. Organizers said this year’s celebrations will revolve… Read More
‘Dudol’ making fair: Showcase of local flavor in Paoay town
February 12, 2024, 7:28 pm
LAOAG CITY – The Ilocano rice cake “dudol” took residents and visitors down memory lane on Monday as the local government of Paoay kept its taste of tradition over the years. As part of an age-old tradition in celebration of the town’s annual Guling-Guling Festival, the dudol-making fair… Read More
8.4 M tourists visit Pangasinan in 2023
February 8, 2024, 8:13 pm
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Declaration of long weekends and added holidays, which the Marcos administration hopes to boost tourism growth, have been significant in the 23.53 percent increase in tourist arrivals in Pangasinan in 2023, a local official said. Pangasinan Provincial Tourism and Cultural… Read More
PH eyes 'layover tours' for transiting local, foreign tourists
February 8, 2024, 8:13 pm
MANILA – The Philippine government is planning to introduce a "layover tour" program for local and foreign tourists transiting through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco announced Thursday. Frasco said the Department of Tourism (DOT) is in talks… Read More
Visa applications from PH breach pre-pandemic level by 35%
February 6, 2024, 4:23 pm
MANILA – The Philippines posted the highest growth in terms of visa applications across Southeast Asia, indicating restored travel confidence among Filipinos, visa service firm VFS Global reported Tuesday. In a briefing in Taguig, VFS Global head for Australasia Kaushik Ghosh said the volume of… Read More
DOT eyes more sites in Eastern Visayas for cruise tourism
February 6, 2024, 3:20 pm
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office is searching for more sites in the region that can accommodate more tourists who are part of a cruise. DOT Eastern Visayas regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes told the Philippine News Agency Tuesday that they are particularly… Read More
PH revives Philippine Tourism Awards
February 2, 2024, 9:57 pm
MANILA – The national government is set to recognize the country’s outstanding travel stakeholders through the revival of the Philippine Tourism Awards (PTA) this year. The Department of Tourism (DOT) launched the 2024 PTA, which is envisioned to become the “highest and most prestigious… Read More
‘Biggest’ PH travel expo opens; Spratlys among tours on sale
February 2, 2024, 8:58 pm
MANILA – The 2024 Travel Tour Expo (TTE), touted as the biggest travel fair of its kind in the Philippines, has opened its doors to the public on Friday, offering discounted tour packages to popular and undiscovered destinations across the country. One of the unique offerings at the three-day… Read More
PH seen to ‘fully recover’ pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in 2024
February 1, 2024, 3:37 pm
MANILA – The Philippines is expected to recover its pre-pandemic level of foreign visitors, with arrivals predicted to reach 8.21 million by end of 2024, Fitch Solutions unit BMI said. In an industry trend analysis dated Jan. 31, the BMI said the sector’s full recovery would likely be driven… Read More
Bolinao eyes Silaki Island as new community-based tourist destination
January 31, 2024, 9:20 pm
BOLINAO, Pangasinan – More than the usual sightseeing and leisure tourism, the local government of Bolinao is eyeing to offer an environmental awareness and educational tour eyed to promote an island here as a tourism hub while sustaining and protecting the aquamarine environment. The… Read More
3 PH cities, 21 stakeholders feted in ASEAN Tourism Awards 2024
January 31, 2024, 5:50 pm
MANILA – Three cities and 21 tourism stakeholders from the Philippines have been recognized during the 2024 ASEAN Tourism Standard Awards in Vientiane, Laos. The awarding ceremony was one of the activities in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 which ran from Jan. 22 to 27, the Department of Tourism… Read More
6 Bicol getaways for the long weekends
January 31, 2024, 4:16 pm
DARAGA, Albay – In Bicol, the long weekends beckon with the promise of rest and adventure. Whether it is a slow and leisurely getaway or a fast-paced and daring escapade, this region, situated at the southernmost tip of Luzon, is a travel mecca for holidaymakers wanting a respite from the… Read More
Firm offers courier service for Palaweños seeking South Korean visas
January 30, 2024, 8:45 pm
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan - Residents of this province who want to travel to South Korea no longer need to go to Metro Manila to apply for their visas. Local courier service provider W Express will launch its Postal Service Visa Application (PSVA) service on Feb. 1 in partnership with the Korea… Read More
DOT to host international dive expo in Feb 2024
January 29, 2024, 8:28 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is set to host the largest platform for the diving community, Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX), from Feb. 23 to 25, 2024 at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City. In a statement on Monday, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the… Read More
P6-M boat enhancement project boosts 'butanding' tourism in Sorsogon
January 24, 2024, 9:04 pm
LEGAZPI CITY – At least 42 boat operators and 200 front-liners in a tourist destination town in Sorsogon province have benefited from the Boat Enhancement Project under the Kagandahan (Beautification) program of the provincial government of Sorsogon. In a follow-up interview on Wednesday, Bobby… Read More
Dinagyang to highlight Iloilo as UNESCO City of Gastronomy
January 24, 2024, 8:43 pm
ILOILO CITY – Local and foreign guests joining this year’s Dinagyang Festival can see or taste for themselves why Iloilo City is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Gastronomy. A wide selection of Ilonggo cuisines will be featured when the food… Read More
Duty Free PH generates $102.9-M sales in 2023
January 24, 2024, 8:16 am
MANILA – The Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) has generated USD102.9 million last year, posting a 53 percent growth from its USD67.3 million sales in 2022. In a briefing on Tuesday night, DFPC Chief Operating Officer Vicente Pelagio Angala said the agency would double efforts to sustain… Read More
Talong Festival celebrates farmers’ good harvest in Pangasinan town
January 19, 2024, 9:24 pm
VILLASIS, Pangasinan – The aroma of different eggplant dishes and desserts, colorful costumes of street dancers, and the usual hospitality of this town greeted residents and visitors to the Talong (eggplant) Festival 2024 on Friday. The municipal government ditched the Pinakbet sa Kawa (a dish… Read More
4 festivals draw tourists to Bulacan this January
January 18, 2024, 8:06 pm
CITY OF MALOLOS – Thousands of tourists are drawn to the province of Bulacan as three towns and a city celebrate their festivals this month. In Guiguinto town, officials and residents opened the 26th Halamanan Festival on Thursday, which showcases the locals' love for ornamental plants,… Read More