Baler, Aurora, known as the birthplace of Philippine surfing. (DOT/Tourism Philippines page)
On June 20, The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) introduced a new campaign, “Discover More to Love,” aimed at encouraging more Filipinos to explore destinations within the country while supporting local tourism businesses.
The initiative will feature specially curated and discounted travel packages developed in collaboration with tourism stakeholders, including hotels and other accommodation providers nationwide. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay explained that the campaign is intended to complement, rather than replace, the country’s flagship tourism brand, “Love the Philippines.” She said the new initiative encourages travellers to create their own unique experiences while discovering different parts of the country.
According to the tourism secretary, the campaign will initially focus on promoting domestic tourism, although there are plans to extend it to international visitors in the future. She noted that Filipinos, particularly younger generations such as Gen Z, have shown a growing interest in travel and
adventure, making them valuable contributors to the development of future tourism programmes.
Domestic tourism continues to play a significant role in the Philippine economy. Tourist expenditure reached PHP3.26 trillion (53 billion US dollars) last year, representing a 3% increase from the PHP3.16 trillion (51 billion US dollars) recorded in 2024.
Alongside efforts to strengthen local tourism, the DOT is also seeking to recover the decline in visitor arrivals from South Korea, traditionally the country’s largest overseas market. Angara-Mathay acknowledged that lower travel costs offered by neighbouring Southeast Asian destinations, particularly Vietnam, have made competition increasingly challenging.
To address this, the department is working with industry partners to introduce new travel bundles designed to make holidays in the Philippines more affordable and offer visitors greater certainty over travel costs.
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