More tourism businesses in the provinces could gain access to digital platforms and a wider pool of travelers under a renewed partnership between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and travel and experiences platform Klook.
The two parties renewed their Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday, September 1, for a multi-year partnership aimed at growing domestic travel and promoting Philippine destinations to international visitors.
The agreement will focus on bringing more local tourism operators, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), into the digital tourism ecosystem.
“As we continue to expand our partnership with Klook, we are placing greater emphasis on the participation of our tourism stakeholders. We want to ensure that our experience providers, particularly MSMEs in the provinces, are equipped to participate meaningfully in the digital tourism ecosystem. By giving them access to platforms such as Klook, where their offerings can be made more visible and bookable, we can connect them more directly with travelers while making the booking process more seamless, convenient, and secure,” Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay.
The partnership will also promote lesser-known and emerging destinations across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao through tourism campaigns, curated experiences and destination branding efforts.
These initiatives will be carried out with the DOT’s Regional Offices, which will work with local community operators and MSMEs on tourism product development.
Klook Philippines General Manager Michelle Ho said the renewed agreement would allow the platform to further support local merchants while promoting Filipino experiences to travelers.
“Our partnership with the DOT has been an incredible milestone for Klook, and we are thrilled to extend this across a multi-year period to elevate what we believe Philippine tourism can be,” Ho said.
“By supporting and empowering local merchants, we aren’t just making unique, authentic Filipino experiences more accessible, but are ultimately positioning the Philippines as a top-of-mind destination for travelers domestically and worldwide,” she added.
The partnership builds on Klook’s involvement in promoting digital adoption in Philippine tourism, with the renewed agreement seeking to help local businesses reach more travelers and adapt their offerings to changing travel interests and needs.
“This renewed ambition is a testament to the success of our combined efforts, and we look forward to collaborating on even more initiatives to propel Philippine tourism forward,” Ho added.
The DOT and Klook said the partnership will also leverage Klook’s global marketing reach and network of local operators to generate tourism demand for destinations and experiences across the country.
In January last year, DOT and Klook also signed a strategic partnership to promote the Philippine Experience Program and promote the digitalization of the local tourism industry.
READ: ‘Philippine Experience’ goes global: DOT’s curated tour packages now on Klook
