DOT officials push into Middle East market by attending Dubai expo

AS the Philippines reopens to overseas vacationers from visa-free nations on February 10, hopes are excessive {that a} good-sized variety of them will likely be coming from the Center East (ME).

The nation’s tourism officers are presently in Dubai to attend the much-delayed Dubai Expo 2020, the place the Philippines Pavilion—  spanning 1,386 sq. meters on a 3,163.25-sq-m lot—is reputed to be the biggest the Philippines has ever showcased in any expo.

Messaging from Dubai, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) COO Ma. Antonette Velasco-Allones advised the BusinessMirror she was elated with the variety of conferences that has been requested together with her. These embody an viewers with counterpart tourism officers and dialogues with journey consumers. “Regardless of the pandemic, this exhibits we’re nonetheless high of thoughts in lots of markets,” she stated.

Velasco-Allones and different tourism officers can even attend the celebration of Philippines Nationwide Day in Dubai on February 11 and launch the Philippine Meals Competition in Abu Dhabi on February 12. TPB is the advertising arm of the Division of Tourism (DOT). The Dubai Expo is ongoing till March 31, 2022.

Previous to the pandemic, in 2019, arrivals from the ME slipped by 10.4 % to 73,703, though the drop was smaller than the 11.34-percent fall to 82,251 in 2018. Visa-free nations within the ME embody Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

‘Create the demand’

In accordance with the Nationwide Tourism Improvement Plan for 2016-2022, the ME, together with India and Russia, are thought-about “alternative markets” or “new rising markets” as a result of their giant populations. Nevertheless, “demand needs to be created if not improved” and the Philippines has to foster nearer enterprise relationships with their journey commerce sector, “[through] the event of tour packages and itineraries [and] invitational journeys….”

The NTDP added, “The continued presence in journey commerce gala’s held within the main city capitals can even be a automobile to create curiosity within the commerce. The online and social media could be a price environment friendly instrument for each common publicity and promoting functions.” As a result of Covid-19 journey restrictions and their impression on world tourism, the DOT has but to pin down precise vacationer arrivals per market.

The DOT had earlier projected a 31.5 % improve in customer arrivals from the ME to 108,170 in 2019, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait accounting for the biggest shares.

Procuring and sightseeing are the primary actions of the vacationers from the ME, and among the many predominant functions of go to are for pleasure or trip, enterprise, and visiting mates and kin.

Philippines Pavilion

The DOT has recognized the necessity for extra Halal eating places and Arabic audio system as a key to attracting extra guests from ME.

In the meantime, the Philippines Pavilion, dubbed “Bangkota,” was designed by architects Budji Layug and Royal Pineda. “Bangkota” means coral reef in outdated Tagalog, and evokes the character of the nation’s residents and their world impression. “The Filipino—very similar to a coral reef—grows into colonies, unfold out everywhere in the world; and but nonetheless linked by migration, journey, and know-how,” in accordance with the design notes on the pavilion.

Bangkota is situated within the Sustainability District of the expo and has artwork items by famend Filipino artists, anchoring particular areas within the pavilion. It additionally showcases artisanal, modern and sensible luxurious merchandise and designer items, crafted regionally, and the Mangrove Restaurant, which options delectable Filipino dishes.