Department of Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco has found a way to involve all Filipinos abroad in the promotion of Philippine Tourism.
The Department has officially launched yesterday the “Bisita, Be My Guest”, an incentive promotional campaign for Filipinos, especially Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and overseas Filipinos residing abroad, who successfully invite foreigners to visit the country will be entitled to a raffle ticket and have a chance to win special prizes.
The Bisita Be My Guest or BBMG campaign is a collaboration of the Department of Tourism, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), and private sector partners including SM Supermalls.
In her speech, Secretary Frasco said, “By combining the aspects of rebuilding trust and confidence in traveling to the country, working hand in hand with our stakeholders, adapting products and services as well as the shift to digital, we are empowering fellow Filipinos to become part of nation-building by inviting visitors to visit the country through our online referral program.”
For her part, DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople emphasized the BBMG’s significance in empowering OFWs to help the country, particularly the tourism industry.
“Everywhere we go, they are eager to help our country and to help the President succeed, that is the common denominator,” she said. “Let this be a national effort to bring as many guests as possible and to make every OFW feel special as Philippine tourism ambassadors,” she added.
Incentives and prizes
The BBMG program shall have three components: a raffle promo, BBMG passport, and a BBMG privilege card (BBMG PC) which participants can use to avail of discounts, special rates, and packages.
Participants of the program could either be a Sponsor or an Invitee. A Sponsor is an individual who shall be inviting a non-Filipino guest/visitor to travel to the Philippines during the campaign period, while an Invitee is an individual invited by a Sponsor who traveled in the Philippines.
Overseas Filipino Workers, Filipinos with dual citizenship living in the Philippines or living abroad as residents, and all Filipinos of legal age may qualify as Sponsors.
On the other hand, Invitees must be: a Foreign passport holder (non-Filipino) of legal age, and has traveled to the Philippines during the promo period (January 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024); or any Filipino holding dual citizenship living abroad for a minimum of six (6) months prior to the campaign, of legal age, and has traveled to the Philippines during the said period.
The complete promo mechanics as well as registration information for Sponsors and Invitees can be found on the official BBMG website: http://bbmg.philippines.travel.
A positive trajectory of PH tourism
As of December 15,2022, the country’s tourism industry has already breached the two million guest arrivals with the official count at 2,397, 919 visitors. Most visitors came from the United States with 447, 278, South Korea at 374,0976, Australia followed with 118,228, Canada at 109,041, and the United Kingdom with 90,196.
Frasco revealed that the easing of travel restrictions and some health policies contributed to the higher amount of tourism revenues amounting to PhP 130B as of November 16, 2022.
“Now as travel restrictions have eased, we look forward to inviting our foreign friends and guests to visit our country and to offer a wider range of culturally rich experiences along with all types of outdoor recreational activities on water and on land,” she said.