Tourism: It's Local!

“Pilipinas Kay Ganda!” This aborted re-branding for the Philippines was supposed to replace “Wow! Philippines.” On TV, DOT Secretary Lim explained that the reason behind this effort was because “Wow! Philippines” was only effective locally and did not work outside the country.

But as it turned, the DOT did a rush job that simply went kaput. Worse, the website for the campaign was only a letter different from a porn site. Sec. Lim then admitted that they did not do their homework. Worst, such “Kay Palpak” is at our expense.

This only strengthens my proposition that the DOT should be abolished to streamline the national government in favor of local autonomy. Sec. Lim’s salary and perks and the budget of his department would have better usefor building classrooms and roads in our neglected towns and barangays.

Local tourism works better than national campaigns. The tourist does not really have a country in mind, but an actual locality. Take for instance, Boracay. By itself, it did not need any marketing slogan. It was its own allure of very fine white beaches that made it famous around the world. Thus, when one plans to travel say from Europe to escape the cold winter, you simply search for the best beach, and Boracay has simply stood out among travellers.

This is also the reason why, to Gov. L-Ray’s credit, his “CAMSUR” branding for the CWC and our beaches in Caramoan has achieved national and worldwide success. Contrast this with Robredo’s re-branding of our beloved Naga from the “Heart of Bikol” to “Maogmang Lugar,” which has simply been an utter failure, ending in street parties for public drunkenness and rioting. Remember also that “Maogmang Lugar” giant billboard at the walls of the Naga Cemetery?

Indeed, for us Nagueños, our heritage and historical identity has been and will always be that of our beloved Naga as forever the “Heart of Bikol” – the home of INA, Our Lady of Peñafrancia. And it is precisely for this privilege of being a pilgrimage site that local tourism exists.

Now that Robredo is gone and dying to keep his job, I do hope that Mayor Bongat will have the good sense to shake off his dependency on Robredo and start governing on his own. It’s time we drop “Maogmang Lugar” and focus on Naga’s pilgrimage site identity. President Aquino’s proclamation of“THE CITY OF NAGA AND THE PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR AS PILGRIMAGE CAPITALS OF THE BICOL REGION AND RECOGNIZED TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES” should be more than enough mandate.

Look at France, the top destination in the world in 2007 with 81.9 million arrivals and in 2008 with 79.3 million. And there every year, about 5 million (double the annual arrivals for the entire Philippines) visit Lourdes, a small town sought for its serenity and spirituality.

In fine, tourism is local, not national. And local is about being ourselves in our best.