THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
We wish to congratulate the Department of Tourism (DOT) and our Tourism Secretary, the Honorable Christina Frasco, for the recent launch of the country’s new tourism slogan, “Love the Philippines.”
The launch was graced by the presence of President Bongbong Marcos, Jr.
Last year, our tourism industry raked in impressive revenues amounting to some ₱209 billion or nearly $4 billion. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, that figure represented about 6.2 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2022.
With an aggressive marketing campaign bannered by the adoption of a new slogan – plus the “revenge travel” phenomenon taking place all over the world – the country can expect bigger revenues in 2023 and in the coming years. During the first quarter of this year, Secretary Frasco said her department’s target is 4.8 million international visitors this year. If that target number is reached and if each international visitor spends at least $2,000 during his or her stay here, that would mean a potential $9.6 billion in gross revenues, easily doubling the nearly $4 billion the sector made last year.
Will the new “Love the Philippines” slogan contribute to the attainment of this goal? Despite the issues surrounding the video, we believe it will.
Slogans that are short and catchy capture attention. They also create association and quick recall of a product, a person, an organization, or a place.
Based on these, we feel that the new tourism campaign slogan will help a lot. It is short and catchy. It is easy to understand. It refers to a feeling that is universal and familiar. It could be a call to action, an invitation, or a summary description of the overall feeling that a delighted visitor may use to.
In a radio interview, we heard Secretary Frasco explain the choice of the slogan which highlights the powerful emotion “love.” She said that the choice is based on extensive research on the international and regional tourism markets. Among the key findings were, first, that tourists in these categories are looking for attractions that are outside of the usual (food, culture, history, and the like); and, second, that they want an “immersive” experience of a place.
This makes a strong case for “Love the Philippines.” We believe that when visitors come to our country and become “immersed” with our people, history, and culture, they cannot but fall in love. In fact, a good number of visitors from other countries had fallen in love so much that they decided to make the Philippines their home. Social media is replete with posts regarding such stories. Nothing could better illustrate the power of “Love the Philippines” than that.
Antipolo City has a similar experience.
More than a decade ago, the city adopted the slogan “Tayo Na! Antipolo!” The primary audiences were the Antipoleños themselves. The slogan was meant to be a call to action, rallying the people of the city to participate in its development and progress. It is also interpreted as “we already are” or “we have become.” This is in reference to the aspirations of the people of the city for better governance and for better lives. In a way, this version of “Tayo Na” found fulfillment in the recognition that Antipolo has received as one of the most competitive component cities in the entire country.
There is one more interpretation of this slogan. “Tayo na” means “let’s go” or “come.” This has reference to the timeless invitation to visit or go to a place that has been associated with Antipolo, thanks to the song “Tayo na sa Antipolo,” composed in 1929 by German San Jose – more popularly known then as “Gerry Brandy.” The song was made extremely popular by the renowned Mabuhay Singers.
“Tayo na” is direct to the point, simple, and easy to understand. It is also memorable and has become a pillar of the Antipolo City brand. Millions have responded to that invitation ever since Antipolo became the home of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. Each year, thousands of devotees respond to “Tayo Na” and pay a visit to the city and its patron, particularly during summer and the Christmas season.
It is interesting that many of them chose to stay. From tourists and pilgrims, many of them became what we call “Antipoleños by choice.” Lured by the climate of the city, its proximity to Metro Manila’s business districts, and its “provincial feel” despite the presence of malls and modern conveniences, they made Antipolo their permanent home. In short, they fell in love with the place after answering the call as expressed in its slogan.
Of course, slogans alone don’t make for progress. The locality must have good governance, solid infrastructure, modern amenities, incentives for business enterprises, and the things that facilities that matter to families – schools, hospitals, churches, and open spaces that are as close to nature as possible.
These things, however, need a good slogan to be understood by the intended market. After all, these infrastructure and amenities are merely reasons for people to fall in love with a place. Just like the many foreign visitors who ended up loving the Philippines. ([email protected])