TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is fully bent this year in promoting the different identified tourism destinations in the six provinces and four cities in the region.
In a phone interview with Leyte Samar Daily Express, DOT-8 Regional Director Karen Tiopes revealed that late last year her office received an allocation of P2.8 million from the DOT central office to be used for the region’s promotional effort for tourism this year.
Tiopes said this was taken from the P48 million budget of the DOT national office which was divided equitably to different regions in the country in order to accomplish the DOT’s thrusts in 2006.
According to Tiopes, the amount of P2.8 million can only be spent to three different menus or items that are prescribed for the region’s tourism promotional effort.
She said one thing where this amount will be spent is the preparation of the regional promotional collateral which includes brochures, videos, photos that could be used to promote tourism in the area.
Some amount will also be allocated for the hosting of the familiarization tour for the international media.
“This is so because we also need mileage outside the country because this is what we want, to attract foreign tourists to visit our place,” Tiopes said.
The third menu, which would also be funded by the DOT, is the participation in tourism fairs.
Tiopes said this include already the participation of the region in different tourism trades and fares/exhibits in different parts of the country where the region can make its exposure of its own destinations.
Tiopes said there is also that plan to join hands with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Bahandi trade fair program in promoting the region’s food an destinations in one.
DTI regional Director Cynthia Nierras signified interest to combine her effort with DOT in promoting the region’s pride both to domestic and foreign tourists.
