At a signing ceremony held in Manila, the Philippine Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Republic of Korea renewed their existing tourism partnership programme.
On Monday, 7th of October, the parties signed the implementation program of their Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation 2024-2029.
DOT secretary Christina Frasco and Korean minister of culture, sports, and tourism Yu In-chon signed and exchanged documents before Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jnr and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol at Malacañan Palace.
What is covered by the programme?
The implementation programme for the period 2024-2029 expands and continues the bilateral tourism co-operation programme covered by an earlier understanding ratified in 2006
Both countries have agreed to exchange tourism administrators and professionals to enhance mutual development in the areas of hotels, resorts and cruises. They also agreed to share information about tourism products and services.
Both parties hope to exchange information about tourism development and improve tourism safety through the establishment and improvement of safety cooperation mechanisms, including information sharing and contingency planning.
In the same way, joint marketing and promotion initiatives can help increase overall tourist traffic, allow both parties participate in trainings and exchanges, support each others’ tourism fairs, exhibits, and promotional initiatives, as well encourage tourism investment.
Increased bilateral relations
Frasco said this programme would strengthen the relationship between the Philippines, South Korea and tourism.
The tourism minister said: “We anticipate that this will increase demand from our number 1 source market, South Korea for more Philippine destinations, tourism products, and more opportunities for our people to advance economically, with the anticipated growth in our tourism numbers.”
South Korea is the top foreign tourist destination in the world, with 27.16 percent of the total number of foreign tourists arriving. Since January, 1,230.858 visitors from Korea arrived in the Philippines.
