In a bid to boost the promotion of Philippine tourism in the global arena, the Department of Tourism (DOT) forged tourism partnerships with the Japanese government.
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of DOT, led the Philippine delegation to the Tourism Expo Japan (TEJ) scheduled from Sept. 22-25 in Tokyo. DOT Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano led the Philippine delegation.
The tourism exposition was organized by the Japan Travel and Tourism Association (JTTA), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
Concluding the four-day activity, TEJ is considered the biggest travel trade fair in Japan, with an expected visitor count of 150,000, and some 1,800 exhibitors from 154 countries and 47 prefectures.
Tamano also joined join the Ministerial Round Table Discussions on “Climate Change – Tourism Stakeholders’ Endeavors” and “Coexisting with COVID in the Post-Pandemic World – Solutions for the New Tourism Industry '' attended by high-level officials and representatives from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The official slated the discussion about the strategic thrusts of the DOT.
“As an industry that relies heavily on the beauty of the natural environment and its resources, the Philippines Department of Tourism acknowledges the crucial role of the tourism sector in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change,” Tamano said.
“That is our unique mandate in tourism—to both sell and preserve; to ensure that the beauty of our country remains, while people get to enjoy a unique Philippine travel experience,” she added.
Joining Tamano in the delegation were TPB Officer-in-Charge Charles Aames Bautista and representatives from the DOT's public and private sector partners in tourism.