Travel and Tourism
French tourism exec lauds gov't-led efforts to rehabilitate Boracay
April 29, 2019, 6:33 pm
MANILA -- A visiting French tourism official on Monday has recognized the government-led Boracay rehabilitation efforts in 2018. "What your president did in Boracay, you know cleaning up and everything, it's very good of course, it's very good," Morad Tayebi, Southeast Asia director for… Read More
130K Filipino tourists expected to visit France this year
April 29, 2019, 5:13 pm
MANILA -- The French government is seeking to attract at least 130,000 Filipino tourists to its numerous medieval towns and religious destinations by end of 2019. Morad Tayebi, Southeast Asian director for Atout-France, the European nation's Development Tourism Agency, said Filipino tourists in… Read More
Treasures of SOX: Finest Soccsksargen finds in Manila
April 26, 2019, 8:44 am
MANILA -- The finest things that could be found in the Soccsksargen region are once again on display at the Robinson's Place in Manila for the fourth installment of Treasures of SOX travel and trade expo. The expo, which runs from April 25 to 28, features local produce and crafts from the region's… Read More
Beyond sands and waters: Pinoys' love for beaches
April 11, 2019, 1:40 pm
A beach in Potipot Island, Sta. Cruz, Zambales. (PNA photo by Priam Nepomuceno)MANILA -- With the Philippines consisting of more than 7,100 islands, one can hardly find Filipinos who are not fascinated with beaches. And with the peak of the summer already here, who could resist an escape to the… Read More
Eastern Samar eyes more tourists
April 11, 2019, 11:25 am
TACLOBAN CITY -- A local government official in Eastern Samar is eyeing to quadruple the province's share of the regional tourist arrivals in the next three years. With 22 towns and one city, Eastern Samar’s PHP841 million income from tourism is very small compared to what other provinces get… Read More
DOT to promote climate-smart agri in farm tourism
April 10, 2019, 7:42 pm
MANILA-- The Department of Tourism (DOT) is keen on including climate-smart agriculture in its promotion of agri-tourism, a ranking official said Wednesday. Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. noted that climate-smart agriculture is a "fairly new concept to some" but it is something that the DOT… Read More
Intramuros to open 9 churches, chapels for Lent
April 10, 2019, 2:44 pm
MANILA-- The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that the Intramuros Administration (IA) will be opening nine churches and chapels for visitors and pilgrims next week in time for the Lenten season. "For this year, from eight churches and chapels that we've opened last year, we are opening… Read More
Tourist arrivals up by 5.9% in Jan-Feb 2019
April 10, 2019, 2:29 pm
MANILA -- Foreign tourist arrivals to the country continue to increase, with 5.9 percent growth in the first two months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. "For the first two months, tourist arrivals have been 1,493,000 precise," Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette… Read More
Stargazing, sports, music at 'Viva Europa' 2019
April 8, 2019, 5:04 pm
MANILA -- The European Union (EU) delegation to the Philippines puts children in the spotlight this year as they included exciting activities like stargazing in their annual culture season, Viva Europa. In cooperation with the Manila Astronomical Society, the EU delegation will conduct a… Read More
26th Panaad Festival opens, showcases ‘Best of Negros’
April 8, 2019, 12:21 pm
BACOLOD CITY -- Hundreds of government security forces have been deployed to secure the week-long 26th Panaad sa Negros Festival, which opened Monday at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan here. Personnel from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, Negros Occidental Police… Read More
Duty Free PH adds homegrown brands to new website
April 3, 2019, 4:10 pm
MANILA -- The Duty Free Philippines is now offering Filipino brands on its new shopping website in a bid to support local farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises in the Philippines. “For three decades, Duty Free Philippines is known to be the haven of luxury and imported goods. That is… Read More
Pateros to bring 'balut' fame back
April 2, 2019, 7:23 am
MANILA -- After a decline in its balut industry following years of urbanization, Pateros is seeking to revive its old title as the Philippines' "balut sa puti" capital. Balut, a fertilized duck embryo boiled as a delicacy, is one of the most prominent exotic food the Philippines is known… Read More
Korean Air to remove nuts from in-flight meals
April 1, 2019, 5:39 pm
MANILA -- To protect passengers who are allergic to peanuts, South Korean flag carrier Korean Air (KE) has stopped serving nuts and will soon remove food containing peanut ingredients in its in-flight meals, an airline executive told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday. Jill Chung, deputy… Read More
TIEZA, Bayad Center launch online travel tax payment
March 27, 2019, 2:19 pm
MANILA -- Queuing for payment of travel taxes at the airport will be reduced soon as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) partnered with CIS Bayad Center in launching a new Online Travel Tax Payment System (OTTPS). The payment scheme would allow passengers the option to… Read More
Leyte town gets add’l outlay to boost tourism
March 25, 2019, 9:14 pm
PALOMPON, Leyte -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) has turned over PHP1.5 million worth of various gears to three people’s organizations (POs) in this town as part of the post-Yolanda Comprehensive Recovery and Rehabilitation Project for tourism. On Sunday, DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa… Read More
DOT eyes 2 new cruise tourism sites in Eastern Visayas
March 25, 2019, 8:24 pm
TACLOBAN CITY -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Eastern Visayas is eyeing two additional tourist destinations in the region to be part of cruise tourism. DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said they have seen the potential of Sambawan Island in Maripipi, Biliran and the town of Liloan in… Read More
36 groups get ASEAN tourism award
March 22, 2019, 2:58 pm
MANILA – A total of 36 tourism enterprises in the Philippines were recognized for meeting minimum requirements set by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Standards in the Philippines. Rebecca Villanueva-Labit, director of the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Office of Tourism… Read More
'Balut': Yucky but yummy
March 18, 2019, 12:32 pm
MANILA -- Some foreigners find it yucky but to Filipinos, "balut" (boiled duck embryo) is one yummy delicacy that will never go out of style. Adding to the peculiarity of this appetizing street food is the melodious way vendors go about selling their wares throughout the night. Cries of balut will… Read More
DOH-Calabarzon provides more lifeguards to secure tourists
March 14, 2019, 7:58 pm
MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) 4-A (Calabarzon) has intensified its campaign on the safety and security of tourists engaging in water activities in the region through the Lifeguard Qualification Training Program. The training, which was held in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas from March 4-13,… Read More
2 hot air balloon fests set in Pampanga in April
March 14, 2019, 4:27 pm
MANILA -- Two hot air balloon festivals will be held in Pampanga next month, bringing once again the spotlight to the province as the Philippines' prime sports aviation events hub. The Lubao International Hot-Air Balloon and Music Festival, to be held on April 5-7, will be followed by the Front… Read More
