Various government agencies and industry stakeholders led by the Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) are set to launch a new video ad campaign to promote the reopening of Bohol to tourists as part of efforts to resuscitate the province’s slumping tourism industry amid the pandemic and in the aftermath of Typhoon “Odette’s” onslaught.
According to Bohol Tourism Office (BTO) chief Josephine Cabarrus, they have started production of the promotional video featuring Bohol’s tourism draws and are expected to release it by the end of the month.
“We are coming up with a video and this will be used for the domestic market and we are starting the production now, ang shooting nagsugod na. We started planning this in January, together with the private sector,” said Cabarrus.
Cabarrus added that they will focus on sites that are out of the current tourism circuit or destinations that are not as prominent as the Chocolate Hills, Panglao and other well-promoted sites.
“Mag feature ta sa mga wala pa ma part kaayo sa circuit, aron mapakita pud nato sa uban na ‘naa pa diay uban na wa makit-i sa Bohol’,” said Cabarrus.
The initiative was initiated by the PTC, in which the BTO is secretariat, Bohol Association of Hotels Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR), Bohol Federation of Travel and Tour Operators (BOFETTO), local government units, transport groups and several private organizations.
Cabarrus noted that the project was an offshoot of several agencies’ and private organizations’ response to the call for a “united front” in reviving the tourism sector, one of the province’s main economic drivers before the pandemic.
“This is a collaborative effort so ang atong costing is not shouldered merely by one entity so government and private sector, hasta LGUs are part of this. Through sa ilang mga shooting areas, they also pitched in,” said Cabarrus.
“This is a one Boholano endeavor, kitang tanan gyud dapat mag-unite ani,” she added.
The video is intended to promote Bohol to domestic tourists in time for the supposed tourism peak season in the province, the summer season including the Holy Week.
“Mo daghan na ni with Holy Week coming in and the summer, and we will need to be ready,” said Cabarrus.
The promotional material will be released through various platforms including social media and with the help of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the province’s travel networks in Metro Manila. (A. Doydora)