THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched the Bisita, Be My Guest (BBMG) Program in Eastern Visayas on Friday at the Summit Hotel in Tacloban City, Leyte, offering incentives to those who encourage visitors to come to the Philippines.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco graced the event together with other officials from the DOT and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, as well as representatives from the national government and local government units, and tourism stakeholders from the private sector, schools and tourism associations.

In her keynote address, Frasco highlighted the program saying it represents a significant step forward in showcasing the breathtaking beauty of the Philippines, with a special focus on Eastern Visayas this time around.

“We have already taken this program all over the world in international launches and various cities in the world, as well as in regional launches all over the Philippines, and we found it appropriate to launch as well here in Eastern Visayas, knowing that Eastern Visayas is home of one of the most megabiodiverse provinces, as well as a wealth of history, heritage, gastronomic delights, and witness to the many important events that have helped shaped our nation’s history,” the tourism chief said.

This marks the flagship program’s fourth regional launch, following successful events held in Soccsksargen and Zamboanga Peninsula last May, and in Western Visayas last June.

The BBMG was also launched in Metro Manila in December of last year and in international locations such as Tokyo, Japan; Berlin, Germany; and the United States of America this year.

Eastern Visayas, with the moniker “Gateway to the Golden East,” boasts of its signature tourist attractions, such as the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park in Leyte, the idyllic Kalanggaman Islands, the famous San Juanico Bridge, Sohoton Caves in Samar as well as an array of heritage sites and farm tourism sites in the region, among others.

A collaborative effort between the DOT, Department of Migrant Workers and TPB Philippines, the BBMG Program is an incentivized promotional campaign that offers Filipinos, particularly overseas Filipino workers and overseas Filipinos, the opportunity to earn raffle tickets when they invite foreigners to visit the Philippines.

These raffle tickets give them a chance to win special prizes, making it an exciting and rewarding initiative.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Cristina Lee-Pisco