SENATOR Chiz Escudero said the new campaign “Love the Philippines” launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) is worth giving a chance as the Marcos administration strives to attract more international tourists to help the country recover economically from the effects of the recent COVID-19 health crisis.
Commenting on the new campaign slogan on Tuesday (June 27), which was launched during the DOT’s 50th anniversary celebration, Escudero said the Filipino people should support it instead of criticizing it outright.
“The last thing I want is for our country and people to be seen bickering about our slogan in front of foreigners/tourists–our putative market. I refuse to be part of any such thing until we have given it a chance,” the senator stressed.
He admitted though that the previous campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” which was launched in 2012, has worked well for the country. It generated some 4.47 million in tourist arrivals in 2013 to more than 8.26 million in 2019 just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines in early 2020.
“While I believe in the saying ‘if it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ I am willing to give it a chance,” Escudero said, adding that the effectiveness of a slogan depends on many factors, such as the destination’s unique offerings, target audience and marketing strategy.
The veteran legislator further said that a good tourism slogan should be catchy, memorable, and convey a positive message that captures the essence of the destination.
“My personal favorite is ‘Incredible India,” he revealed. “This slogan, for me, works well because it is simple, memorable, and accurately capture the essence of the destination it represents.”
In finally settling for “Love the Philippines,” Escudero said he is assuming that tourism officials and its partner agencies have taken into account the above qualities of a good tourism slogan.
During the launch, President Marcos said his administration is “propelling the tourism industry forward by embracing the warmth of our people, the beauty of our land, and the rich tapestry of our culture.”
