Tourists visit the Philippines for all sorts of good reasons: The beaches, the food, and the shopping malls.
Hiro Nishiuchi
For Japanese beauty queen and actress Hiro Nishiuchi, it is the kindness of Filipino people that she loves.
Last month, she was appointed by the Department of Tourism (DOT) as the Philippine Tourism Fun Ambassador. Given the title, she initiated to create her advocacy. Her goal is to “promote fun in the Philippines through international conversations.”
Hiro was the first runner-up of Miss Universe Japan 2014. She was then tapped to be part of the promotional activity of DOT, which allowed her to visit the Philippines for the first time. Among the places she visited here were Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Coron, and Iloilo.
“I love the Filipino people. They are so nice, so kind,” said she. “To be honest, the commonly asked question by Japanese about the Philippines is that: ‘Is it really dangerous in the Philippines?’ And I always answer, ‘No. And there are so many good things about the Philippines.’ It has very diverse culture and traditions. I especially like the traditional dresses, very unique. See, I really love to be here.”
In a DOT press release early this year, 6, 620, 908 foreign tourists visited the Philippines in 2017. Among the many strengths of PH tourism are the new Seven Wonders of Nature, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park; and one of the new Seven Wonders Cities, the Heritage City of Vigan.
Hiro said she aims to promote these sites by video. She encourages more Japanese to visit the country.
Soon, PH showbiz
Hiro undescores the importance of taking care of one’s self and inspiring others to do the same. She values wellness and beauty.
She is an avid traveler, visiting over 30 different countries and she has a book published about it. The 29-year-old is a licensed scuba diver.
Hiro wants to enter local show business.
“I can sing, I can do acting maybe do drama? I’m also a model, so let’s see what’s in store for me here,” she said.
Asked if she’s single, Hiro nodded, adding she finds Filipino men “very romantic.”