COMPANIES constantly looking for new destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) could be a potential market the Philippines can target, World Travel Awards (WTA) Founder Graham Cooke said.
“Majority of companies around the world are always looking for new ideas and new destinations,” World Travel Awards (WTA) Founder Graham Cooke said on the sidelines of an award show late Tuesday.
“These big companies plan three to five years ahead, and they’re looking for different things,” he added.
London-based WTA held its Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2024 at City of Dreams Manila, marking the first time the organization organized an awards night in the country.
Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco said the hosting of the event signifies the Philippines’ readiness to host global events.
“I’m hopeful that the WTA hosting with the Philippines is a signal to the world that the Philippines is ready to host global events of any scale but still able to maintain its local charm and authenticity,” Ms. Frasco said.
Mr. Cooke said that the Philippines must work on promoting its tourism assets through social media to better acquaint travelers with its offerings. “You have such a big country and such an expanse of islands and products that if people don’t even know it’s there, in this big competitive space, then you’re never going to get the business,” he said.
“So you see, it’s a question of using what is around you. As I’ve been saying, TikTok, YouTube, Weibo, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook, all of those social media channels are free,” he added.
He noted a hotel in Manila that has not posted on its Instagram account for one year.
“There is a need to look at social media for the tourism industry, and that would be the one thing I would be (recommending) to the Secretary,” he added.
Asked about the Philippines’ competitive edge as a destination, he cited the novelty factor for many travelers.
“What I like about the Philippines is that it’s pristine and it’s quite a new destination, and you know, people like new things in their lives,” he said.
“I’m telling you, as an Englishman, the Philippines has the potential because you have the products and you have the people,” he added.
During the event, Philippine sites were named Asia’s Leading Beach Destination, Asia’s Leading Dive Destination, and Asia’s Leading Island Destination.
The DoT’s “Love the Philippines” initiative was also recognized as the top tourism marketing campaign in Asia, while Intramuros, Boracay, and Cebu were recognized as Asia’s leading tourist attraction, luxury island destination, and wedding destination, respectively. — Justine Irish D. Tabile