Updated ‘It’s More Fun’ tourism campaign hailed

A pro-environment party-list has hailed the Department of Tourism's (DOT) update to its popular "It's More Fun in the Philippines" tourism campaign, particularly the agency's newfound focus on sustainable tourism.

"Yes, it is more fun in the Philippines... And it will be more fun in the Philippines for decades to come if we remain vigilant, safeguard the environment, and ensure that tourists local and foreign alikerespect our environmental laws," Luntiang Pilipinas Party-list (Luntian) first nominee Michael Ubac said.

Last Monday, DOT unveiled the refreshed version of the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign with an emphasis on sustainable tourism.

Speaking at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said more tourists have “become conscious about their ecological footprint, the cultures and experiences they are consuming, that they simply want to know how they can give back.”

The campaign, added RomuloPuyat, is "a truly 100 percent crowdsourced tourism campaign" that will use content produced by tourists.

Luntian called the move relevant "given the need to ensure that the country's top tourist destinations do not suffer the same fate as Boracay, which the government was forced to shut down for six months because of rampant violations of basic environmental laws."

Ubac, a veteran journalist, said the six-month closure of Boracay last year "was an eye-opener for those unaware of the gravity of the problems that accompany unfettered development that is pursued at the expense of the environment."

"The country's potential as a tourist destination is undeniable. We have some of the most beautiful islands in the world, and we truly have the capacity to attract millions of tourists and generate billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs," he said.