Jessica Sanchez helps promote ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ campaign slogan

The Department of Tourism (DOT) recently released photos of Filipino-Mexican Jessica Sanchez, American Idol Season 11 runner-up, and Season 11 finalist DeAndre Brackensick holding up a sign with the slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” under which the department is “selling” the country overseas.

The photos of Sanchez and Brackensick went viral soon after. More photos of the nature will be released via social-networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, as more international celebrities and Filipino-Americans agree to hold up the sign, DOT sources said.

Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said the 6th Philippine Business Mission (PBM) to Japan from June 24 to 30 “aims to strengthen our existing ties with the Japanese travel trade and capture more of this high-value market with our new fun products and rebranding efforts.”

This year’s PBM, Jimenez added,  “will be beneficial in helping us achieve at least a 10-percent growth rate in this market, and reach our ultimate goal of 10 million tourists by 2016.”

The Philippine delegation will include representatives of the local travel trade, national and local government agencies, media and other strategic partners.

The DOT said  in a press statement that the delegation “will conduct presentations and hold business meetings with counterparts. The schedule of the PBM in June is seen to be strategic, as this is when most tour wholesalers and agents plan for tour programs next season [October 2012 to March 2013].”

Jimenez will meet with several key officials in Japan, among them  the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation; Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel M. Lopez; the head of Japan Tourism Agency; the chairman of the Japan Association of Travel Agents; officials of strategic and joint promotion partners such as Mini Stop, NEC, Casio, All Nippon Airways; and members of the media.

“Our business meetings will be vital in convincing the Japanese travel trade to expand their Philippine tour programs and invest more in the country,” the tourism secretary said.

The “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign slogan was launched by the DOT in January this year and has since been presented in several countries and major travel events beginning with the Asean Tourism Forum in Manado, Indonesia, and in Hong Kong, India, the ITB in Berlin, the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Memphis in May festival in Tennessee, Los Angeles and the United Kingdom during President Aquino’s recent vist there, as well as in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and Canada.

Sourced: businessmirror