23 November 2015 – A six-member team from the Department of Tourism (including DOT-London) led by Undersecretary Benito C. Bengzon, Jr. conducted a three-city tourism selling mission in Scandinavia covering Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen from November 09 to 13. They were joined by officials from the Philippine Congress and industry partners including tour operators Baron Travel Corporation, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, Inc., Discover Boracay Travel and Tours; hotel/resort operators The Ascott Limited, and Discovery Fleet; and Philippine Airlines representatives in the Nordic countries.
There is huge potential for promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination to the Nordic countries because:
- Nordic countries are the third largest outbound travel market in Europe.
- Nordic tourists have five to six weeks paid holidays each year.
- An average of 60% of the Nordic people travel to other countries at least once a year. Other than the usual summer downtime, a main reason for travel for Nordic people is to escape the cold, dark and dreary days of winter.
- Income level in Nordic countries is generally high and a high percentage of income is spent on travel.
- Nordic tourists spend 90% more than the average European on food, accommodations and attractions while on holiday.
Undersecretary Bengzon discussed the Philippines’ tourism promotion campaign of “Visit the Philippines 2015” and “Visit Philippines Again 2016,” anchored on the overarching theme, “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
The selling mission organized business-to-business (B-to-B) and networking events in Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen. These started with a presentation on the Philippines as a travel destination, followed by B-to-B sessions where Philippine private sector partners had the chance to sell the Philippines to their counterpart in a speed-dating-type format. A Filipino live band and performing bartender provided entertainment during the event, along with raffles and tokens for the Nordic travel and tourism participants, providing a party atmosphere to show that it is more fun in the Philippines. END