Heroes of Philippine tourism

Have you seen the latest “Tara Na, Biyahe Tayo!” music video?

Like many Filipinos, whether here or abroad, I get goose bumps and the hair on my arms rises whenever I hear the song or watch the video of the original Tara Na, Biyahe Tayo! music video featuring 21 top Filipino artists.

It tugs at the heart and brings out the proud Filipino in anyone who listens to it. So far the video has reached more than 500,000 hits on YouTube.

Its success can be attributed to its enticing lyrics and melody that bring the inherent pride in being a Filipino and ones love of country to the fore.

The Tara Na, Biyahe Tayo! was a domestic tourism advocacy campaign of the Department of Tourism, Bonamine, and our very own OPM artists during the time of Sen. Dick Gordon.

REMAKE OF TARA NA, BIYAHE TAYO MTV. Sec. Lim with Mike Villegas, artist who led the musical arrangement (leftmost), Rene Nieva, Chairman and CEO of Perceptions, James Bernas, and Danny G. Corpuz, Usec for Tourism Planning and Promotions.

A few weeks ago (early August), the Department of Tourism (DOT) held a media preview of the revived version of the music video with 57 OPM artists.  Can you imagine so many celebrity heroes doing their part in helping promote our country?

A few days ago, they launched it by uploading it via the Pilipinas, Tara Na! page on Facebook. It was produced in cooperation with Perceptions, Inc. and Smart Communications.

Smart has always been a generous benefactor of Philippine tourism. From the time of Sec. Ace Durano to the present.

In support of the Pilipinas, Tara Na! domestic advocacy program, SMART offered P50 million in values this year which includes 60- and 30-seconder television commercials production and airtime promoting 10 local destinations and Filipino cuisine, and outdoor advertising appealing to the Filipino audience. DOT recognizes the support of SMART with total media values of P41 million, for the television commercials alone.

Private sector support for tourism promotions is crucial for creating awareness about the Philippines and our prime tourist attractions.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Aldaba Lim expressed his gratitude to companies that have given their support to the domestic tourism advocacy program of the DOT by adopting travel and tourism themes in their advertising campaigns.

The DOT chief especially thanked SMART Communications, Inc., Globe, and Johnson & Johnson for their support in promoting domestic tourism.

Globe Telecoms partnered with DOT and Duty Free Philippines for the Pinoy Homecoming balikbayan program which encourages overseas Filipinos, particularly Filipino organizations and business groups to come home for vacation, family reunions, missions, or conferences. TV placements sponsored by Globe were aired over The Filipino Channel.

Johnson & Johnson’s launched its Bonamine travel advocacy campaign this year with the Basta Pinas Biyahe Tayo program in support of the DOT’s domestic tourism efforts. The campaign includes print advertorials featuring celebrities endorsing a particular destination with accompanying article on what the place is all about. Members of the media and press were invited to participate in their Romance of Travel Media Tours which visited destinations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Online promotions are also used through their Basta Pinas Facebook fanpage and website. DOT acknowledges the support of J&J with total media values of P11.4 million and total advertising values of P3.8 million.

We need more corporate heroes to follow in the footsteps of Smart, Globe, and J&J.

Other companies should take the initiative and do the same as their way of contributing to getting the marginalized out of their poverty situation especially in the countryside and far-flung areas.

Tourism creates jobs and livelihood opportunities that improve the lives of local communities hosting our country’s natural assets.

LAKBAY TV CORE GROUP. (from left): Caloy Abrera (deceased and since replaced 

by Emily Abrera), Manuel Hizon, John Carl Magno, Mike Reyes, Hernando T. Neri, Sonny Hernandez. 

I remember how the country benefited from Lakbay TV, a travel channel of ABS-CBN dedicated to promoting domestic tourism more than a decade ago. For the first time, viewers saw what only moneyed travelers enjoyed. It was like being there in the destination themselves.

As a result, domestic tourism grew as patronage for places that were featured by Lakbay TV increased tremendously. Some say that Lakbay TV was able to achieve what a whole government agency was not able to accomplish.

For that we have the group of the late Caloy Abrera, Mike Reyes, Sonny Hernandez, Hernando T. Neri, Manuel Hizon, and John Carl Magno to thank. This same Lakbay TV heroes are now continuing their advocacy thru CCI Asia Group’s Living Asia Channel.

Another group of heroes led by Charie Villa have “Choose Philippines” on Facebook. It is very informative, inspiring, and makes you feel proud you are Filipino. Of course, there are countless of other online heroes, like Brian Ong and Jewels Travels, who help promote the country in their own little way -- but very big on mileage.

The good news is … any one can be a hero of Philippine Tourism. Decide to be one – now!

Why Bertie Lim? Because tourism is not all about promotions.

Tourism is the answer to address poverty and unemployment.

Thus says an International Labour Organization (ILO) report that urged governments to invest in the travel and tourism industry to address poverty and unemployment because the industry will soon make up more than a third of the total global services trade. It said tourism contributed at least 9 percent of total GDP and provided more than 235 million jobs in 2010, representing 8 percent of global employment.

GMA News Online reports that ILO expects the travel and tourism industry to create 296 million jobs by 2019, which is definitely good news for the Philippines because the country intends to double last year’s tourist arrivals from three million to six million in 2016.

The think tanks, the joint foreign chambers, and the current administration know this. That is why we are very fortunate that our tourism czar is someone who can deliver. One who could put mechanisms in place to ensure that our annual visitor arrivals count will substantially increase to 6.6 million by 2016. This translates to 5 million new jobs and Php 1.3 trillion in revenues from tourism.

The silent operator that he is, Tourism Secretary Bertie Lim is focused on doing just that.

People in the industry … those who are genuinely involved in primary tourism enterprises … those who have been in tourism and travel for decades … say that, as someone who once belonged to their ranks, Sec. Lim’s understanding of intricacies of the industry is of great value to the Aquino administration.

They say that people have to realize that tourism is not just about promotions.

That is what the DOT secretaries before him concentrated on. The problem is … what happens when tourists arrive here and realize that the product is sub-standard? Can you imagine the damage that will cause by simple word of mouth alone?

Bertie continues with promotions but is diligently working on the product.

Unfortunately, that’s something which people do not find sexy. People are so used to seeing tourism as all hype and hoopla that anything else is relegated to the background and not given much weight.

What ordinary people do not know is that product development is necessary for tourism to grow. Look at any Thailand and Malaysia – they poured money in developing the necessary tourism infrastructure. Investments and more tourists followed.

Ask any marketing expert and they will say that promotions is only a fraction of the marketing mix. Traditionally, the marketing mix is made up of the 4 P’s : Product, Placement, Promotions, Price. The marketing audit determines what mix among the 4 is prioritized.

Bertie is a no-nonsense workhorse. He is decent and hardworking. That is why he will not pander to please the whims of those with vested interests. He is not one who will show what people want if he knows that it is not what is needed at the moment. He is not one who will throw away good money in promotions if the product (our country and its destinations) is not yet ready.

He knows what he is doing. For the sake of our country … trust him.

The secretary has accumulated at least 20 years direct experience in tourism.

He was president of the following companies and institutions involved directly in tourism: ANSCOR Travel Corp. (travel agency), Tours Specialists Inc. (local tour and tourist transport operator), ANSCOR Tourism Development Corporation (general sales agency), ANSCOR Aviation Corporation (air charter operator), Ten Knots Development Corporation (El Nido Resorts operator), Ten Knots Philippines Inc. (Palawan land holding company), Palawan Tourism Council (regional tourism promotions council), El Nido Foundation (social development agency and partner of resort owner).

Aside from these, Bertie has been a member of the following bodies involved in tourism: National Ecotourism Development Council, Palawan Development Council, Southern Tagalog Tourism Council, El Nido Protected Area Management Board, among others.

So you see, the man knows his craft.

He is also an academic heavyweight: an economics graduate from Ateneo, a Master in Business Administration from Harvard Graduate School of Business, and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

So, when he says that we need to improve our product first by improving access and infrastructure in cooperation with other agencies – it is what’s best for our country.

Thus, the pocket open skies policy, pushing for new international airports, repair of existing airports, and other tourism infrastructure projects. We will expound on this later once the tourism road map has been approved by President Aquino.

Alberto Aldaba Lim will definitely add on to the family legacy enshrined by his mother Estefania Aldaba Lim and sister Cheche Lazaro.

So, when people ask “Why Bertie Lim?” It is because we need someone credible to show us that tourism is not all about promotions.


Please email your comments to paulsison@ideasman.ph