Apl.de.Ap writes song and campaigns for Philippine tourism
by Leony R. Garcia
Popular singer Apl.de.Ap brought the house down as he literally transforms a recent travel event into a mini concert. The popular entertainer and member of the group The Black Eyed Peas was tapped by the country’s Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) to write a song and appear in a video promoting the Philippines.
He performed at the dinner hosted by the TPB for delegates to the Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) 2015. The video aired during the dinner shows Apl.de.Ap in different local sites singing the lines to the jingle: “It’s more fun in the Philippines/It makes you feel like you’re in a dream.”
Later, he was joined by fellow artists Radha and Jessica Reynoso, both powerful singers from The Voice of the Philippines, singing his other hit songs such as Bebot and The Apl Song.
“When I was asked to be part of this campaign, I didn’t see it as work. I went to Palawan; it was like paradise. More second-generation Filipinos living abroad should visit the Philippines. Actually, tourists from all over should come to the Philippines, we have so much to offer,” he said.
During the event, the TPB launched its marketing campaign for 2016. Instead of crafting a totally different one, it played on the current Visit the Philippines 2015 campaign to come up with Visit the Philippines again 2016.
Domingo Ramon Enerio III, TPB chief operating officer, said he hoped the campaign would entice more tourists to visit the country even if they have been here before.
This year’s theme is #PHITEX@360, where 360 signifies and encompasses all aspects in shaping a culture of excellence of the Philippine tourism industry such as education and knowledge, networking and business, creativity, passion and innovation and great products and services.
Two institutional events of TPB were integrated on PHITEX 2015: the Philippine MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events) Conference or MICECON and Travel Exchange (TRAVEX).
MICECON is a two-day educational program which discussed global trends on travel and tourism, marketing and leadership innovations while TRAVEX is business to business (B2B) sessions in one-on-one table top scheduled appointments between invited foreign buyers and Philippines sellers of MICE and leisure products and services.
TPB invited more than 200 foreign buyers from South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, North America, Canada, Europe, Russia, the Middle East, India, and ASEAN countries to engage in this huge event.
The Philippines went on SALE at the Philippine Travel Mart!
Immediately after, local travel tour operators staged the 26th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) to promote domestic and inbound tourism. The Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) also launched a digital way of window-shopping with quick response (QR) code systems being incorporated in tour packages.
In view of the implementation of the ASEAN Integration, there were also
twinning packages of Philippines + other ASEAN member destinations. Making Philippines as a hub in Asia. The event’s theme for the year is “PHILIPPINES: The Fun Capital of Asia”.
The “Sale ng Bayan” Pavilion at the PTM featured the “Fun Caravan Tours” – a highly discounted package by up to 70% discount, covering well-crafted tour packages with accommodations and land and airfare components for appropriate destinations. Guests who availed of any of the following packages: Rediscovering Batanes, Cordillera’s Heritage
Warrior, Southern Tagalog Kulinarya, Tuna-‘boli Myx got deal price starting at P 3,500 per person! So expect an influx of local tourists the 
whole year round for 2016.
Jaw dropping airfare to Philippine and ASEAN destinations and special accommodation packages from 136 hotel and resort exhibitors were also offered.
PHILTOA president and PTM chairman Cesar Cruz said that the PTM is the first travel exhibition in the country to adopt the QR code system.
He added that it was PHILTOA’s way of reaching out to the millennial market since the QR code by definition is a type of 2D bar code used to provide access to information through a smartphone.
“This year we are adopting the QR code system because we would like to tell the millennial market that the Philippine tourism industry is ready to accommodate (them),” Cruz said.