Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to be new face of Philippines tourism
Friday, 05 Dec, 2016
0
For its size the Philippines has long been punching below its weight in terms of attracting tourists but now hopes that is all about to change.
The Department of Tourism has lauded the offer of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to be a tourism ambassador for the country.
Pacquiao is now a Philippines Senator and still remains the country’s most recognisable personality around the world.
"Senator Pacquiao is a living hero who has earned the world’s admiration and reaped so much honour for the country. He personifies the Filipino’s resiliency with a big heart and our people’s genuine hospitality," DOT Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo told local media.
DOT believes it is a big coup for the ministry which has traditionally spent much less on tourism promotion than many other ASEAN nations.
"This is a great Christmas gift to the DOT from ‘Pacman,’ a living legend, especially as preparations are now in full swing for the country’s hosting of the prestigious 2016 Miss Universe Pageant," Teo said.
Last month tourism ministry officials announced a $13 million budget to refresh the long running ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ campaign and tagline, which began in 2012.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season