Travel and Tourism

DOT: Tourism deal to bring in more Japanese visitors to PH

DOT: Tourism deal to bring in more Japanese visitors to PH

November 4, 2023, 5:37 pm

MANILA – The newly signed tourism deal between Japan and the Philippines will complement the Philippine government’s push to fast-track tourism recovery and boost the arrival of Japanese visitors. On the sidelines of Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to Manila on Nov. 3, the… Read More

PAL cancels several Dipolog flights in Nov. due to runway repair

PAL cancels several Dipolog flights in Nov. due to runway repair

November 3, 2023, 5:01 pm

MANILA – Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has announced the cancellation of Dipolog flights on several days this November, to give way for the airport's runway repair. Canceled Dipolog flights to and from Manila are those on Nov. 15, 22, 26 and 29, PAL said in an advisory on Friday. The… Read More

Luxury cruise ship arrives with over 300 visitors in Puerto Princesa

Luxury cruise ship arrives with over 300 visitors in Puerto Princesa

November 2, 2023, 3:54 pm

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan — A luxury ocean liner dropped anchor in this city’s port on Thursday, signaling broader opportunities for the local tourism industry. The MS Silver Whisper, touted as a cruise ship for the rich and famous, arrived at slightly past 7 a.m., bringing 382 vacationers and… Read More

DOT-Bicol seeks funding for 1st hot air balloon fest in Albay

DOT-Bicol seeks funding for 1st hot air balloon fest in Albay

October 28, 2023, 10:12 am

LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) 5 (Bicol) is now sourcing funds for the holding of the first-ever hot air balloon festival in the region to be held here next year. Herbie Aguas, DOT-5 director, said in an interview on Friday that they have been coordinating with the office of Ako… Read More

Nativity is mainstay, center-stage in Christmas village

Nativity is mainstay, center-stage in Christmas village

October 26, 2023, 7:00 pm

BAGUIO CITY – The Nativity scene that keeps on giving. This is what Baguio Country Club’s Christmas Village has to offer as it retains the Nativity and re-enactment of the scene as a mainstay and center stage of the attraction, which has been drawing a large number of locals and tourists… Read More

PH gov’t banks on esports to boost tourism

PH gov’t banks on esports to boost tourism

October 25, 2023, 9:01 pm

MANILA – The government is banking on the rise of esports to attract more tourists to the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Wednesday. In a ceremony in Quezon City, DOT and gaming developer MOONTON Games signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to facilitate tours for local and… Read More

Romania keen to help PH promote emerging destinations

Romania keen to help PH promote emerging destinations

October 25, 2023, 8:59 pm

MANILA – Romania is keen to develop ties with the Philippines in the area of tourism as it expressed its interest in helping promote its emerging destinations, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Wednesday. The support was conveyed during a meeting between Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia… Read More

PH vies for 4 international tourism awards

PH vies for 4 international tourism awards

October 25, 2023, 2:21 pm

MANILA – With four nominations under its belt this year, the Philippines is defending its back-to-back title as the World’s Leading Beach Destination and World’s Leading Dive Destination at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA), dubbed as the Oscars of the travel industry. The… Read More

La Union aims for sustainable, responsible surfing break

La Union aims for sustainable, responsible surfing break

October 24, 2023, 8:58 pm

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan - The 17th La Union Surfing Break will be held from Nov. 3 to 5 in the municipalities of San Juan, Bacnotan, and Luna to again promote sustainable and responsible tourism. Assistant supervising tourism officer Julius Manabat, in a phone interview with the Philippine News… Read More

Oriental Mindoro eyed as next top cruise destination

Oriental Mindoro eyed as next top cruise destination

October 24, 2023, 1:03 pm

MANILA – The Philippines is setting its eyes on Oriental Mindoro as its next major cruise destination, with a new cruise terminal expected to rise in Puerto Galera by 2025. In an interview Monday, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 4-B (Mimaropa) officer-in-charge Director Roberto Alabado III… Read More

Mindoro ready to welcome tourists back after oil spill crisis: Frasco

Mindoro ready to welcome tourists back after oil spill crisis: Frasco

October 23, 2023, 9:59 pm Updated on October 23, 2023, 10:03 pm

MANILA – Oriental Mindoro is ready to welcome tourists after recovering from the impact of an oil spill that plagued the province in February, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Monday. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco made the announcement as the DOT formally caps its alternative livelihood… Read More

PH wants global framework on measuring sustainable tourism

PH wants global framework on measuring sustainable tourism

October 19, 2023, 5:31 pm

MANILA – The Philippines is calling for the adoption of a global framework that would measure sustainability in tourism. During the 25th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Uzbekistan, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the Philippines endorses the… Read More

DOT names 15 destinations getting P180M in tourism fund

DOT names 15 destinations getting P180M in tourism fund

October 17, 2023, 12:41 pm

MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) has identified the 15 local government units (LGUs) that will get a combined tourism funding worth PHP180 million under its new Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) initiative. In a statement Tuesday, the DOT said the 15 were shortlisted from 90 LGUs that… Read More

Bacolod City eyeing chartered flights from Korea

Bacolod City eyeing chartered flights from Korea

October 16, 2023, 8:51 pm

BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday the city government will make arrangements for chartered flights from Incheon, Korea to Bacolod-Silay Airport to transport about 3,000 tourist-golfers here early next year. "I received a letter from a tour agency or from a group that… Read More

PH named Asia's best cruise destination

PH named Asia's best cruise destination

October 16, 2023, 1:41 pm

MANILA – The Philippines clinched for the first time the title of Asia's Best Cruise Destination 2023 at the World Cruise Awards in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the award is a "big win for Philippine tourism as it reflects a resounding global… Read More

Filipino hospitality soars with DOT surpassing 100K target trainees

Filipino hospitality soars with DOT surpassing 100K target trainees

October 15, 2023, 12:46 pm

MANILA – Two months before yearend, the Department of Tourism (DOT) breached its target of training 100,000 frontline tourism workers on the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE), Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said on Sunday. Undertaken by the Office of Industry Manpower… Read More

PAL to launch Cebu-Laoag route in December

PAL to launch Cebu-Laoag route in December

October 12, 2023, 2:55 pm

MANILA – Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will launch direct flights between Cebu and Laoag beginning Dec. 15. The twice-weekly operations will use an 86-seater aircraft. Flight PR 2251 will depart Cebu every Tuesday and Friday at 7:35 a.m., while flight PR 2252 will leave Laoag on the… Read More

Salceda: Tourism not susceptible to negative impact of AI

Salceda: Tourism not susceptible to negative impact of AI

October 10, 2023, 4:44 pm

LEGAZPI CITY – Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda is confident that the tourism industry in the country will not be adversely affected by the emerging artificial intelligence (AI), especially in the labor force. "Ang pinaka-less susceptible sa negative impact ng artificial intelligence is the… Read More

City, province reiterate call for Iloilo airport expansion

City, province reiterate call for Iloilo airport expansion

October 10, 2023, 4:39 pm

ILOILO CITY – The city and provincial governments of Iloilo continue to push for the expansion of the congested Iloilo International Airport. In an interview on Tuesday, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said, “I am concerned. It is really about time because it is already congested.” The… Read More

Iloilo's Dinagyang is PH's best cultural festival

Iloilo's Dinagyang is PH's best cultural festival

October 9, 2023, 6:06 pm

ILOILO CITY – Organizers of the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival are hoping to rouse the interest of those who have yet to witness the tourism event with its three-year winning streak in various categories of the Pearl Award given by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Association of Tourism Officers… Read More