DFA Consular Office in Tacloban Celebrates National Tourism Week, World Tourism Day 2020

TACLOBAN 05 October 2020 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Consular Office (CO) in Tacloban celebrated the National Tourism Week and World Tourism Day 2020 with the theme “Tourism and Rural Development” in the last week of September.

On 25 September 2020, the CO launched “Scratch and Pin: Scratch Where You’ve Been and Pin Where You Wanna Be!”, where CO staff and clients are enjoined to appreciate local travel spots in the country. Mounted on a wall was a Philippine map where participants scratched tourist places they already visited and pinned dream destinations they wish to visit in the future when travel restrictions are already lifted.

Also in support to reignite interest for domestic tourism in preparation for the reopening of the country, the CO continuously displays in the consular area, for public viewing, promotional videos of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) “Wake Up in the Philippines” campaign that showcases all the breathtaking sceneries, exhilarating adventures, and beautiful things both local and foreign tourists can experience in the country and all of its regions. 

The CO also showed episodes of the Department’s online cooking show series “Simply Sarap” which promotes Filipino cuisine and where viewers are treated to a culinary tour while introducing local ingredients and talking about Philippine history and culture.

The CO’s observance of this year’s National Tourism Week and World Tourism Day highlights the social, cultural, and economic value of the tourism industry particularly in rural areas and how this sector plays a key role in providing opportunities that will drive our country’s recovery through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CO hopes that through its efforts, the public will contribute in rebuilding the country’s tourism sector by promoting and patronizing domestic travel. END

(Tacloban CO photos)