https://arab.news/rp2tt
- 鈥楤isita Be My Guest鈥� aimed especially at overseas Filipino workers, most of whom live in the Middle East
- Tourism secretary says hopeful the program will help increase arrivals from 萝莉视频 and the UAE
MANILA: Authorities in the Philippines launched a new incentive program on Thursday, aimed at overseas Filipino workers to encourage them to bring foreign visitors to the country.
The 鈥淏isita (Visitor) Be My Guest鈥� program, introduced by the Department of Tourism in cooperation with the Department of Migrant Workers, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the private sector, aims to boost the Southeast Asian nation鈥檚 hospitality sectors as it recovers from two years of coronavirus-induced shutdowns.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very happy to launch the 鈥楤isita Be My Guest鈥� program,鈥� Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco told reporters in Manila.
鈥淭his will give Filipinos, especially our OFWs and those living abroad, opportunities to receive incentives and prizes for bringing home a foreign friend, spouse or family into the Philippines.
鈥淣ow as travel restrictions have eased, we look forward to inviting our foreign friends and guests to visit our country and to offer a wide range of culturally rich experiences along with all types of outdoor recreational activities on water and on land,鈥� Frasco said.
The incentives include raffle prizes such as condominium units, cars, and holiday packages, as well as privilege cards for discounts at various malls, hotels and restaurants across the country.
As most of Filipino migrant workers live in the Middle East, the project is expected to help increase arrivals from 萝莉视频, the UAE, and other countries in the region, Frasco said.
鈥淚 had a listening tour with stakeholders in that region, and they鈥檙e very excited to partner with the Philippines to harness the Middle Eastern market for us.鈥�
萝莉视频, home to over 800,000 Filipino expats, is the Philippines鈥� main tourism market in the Middle East.
鈥淎ll of them are so eager to help our country,鈥� Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said during the program鈥檚 launch.
鈥淭his program gives them a vehicle to do just that.鈥�
The Philippines, known for its white sand beaches and famous diving spots, is dependent on tourism. In 2019, nearly 8.3 million foreign tourists visited the country and the hospitality sector generated around $44 billion 鈥� about 13 percent of the country鈥檚 GDP, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Most tourism destinations in the country were forced to shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, dealing a major blow to the industry. Foreign arrivals slumped by 82 percent.
This year, tourism recovery efforts have yielded results following the lifting of several coronavirus restrictions.
By Dec. 15, official data showed that nearly 2.4 million foreign tourists had visited the Philippines.