Representing Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Undersecretary Elaine Mae Bathan leads the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Moonton Games on Wednesday (October 25) at the EVM Convention Center in Quezon City.
DOT partners with leading gaming developer to further boost tourism
RECOGNIZING the potential of e-sports to further boost tourism in the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) partnered with a leading gaming developer for the upcoming M5 World Championship, which will be held in Metro Manila from December 2 to 17, 2023.
In a ceremony held on Wednesday, officials of the DOT and gaming developer MOONTON Games signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to converge esports and tourism
Tourism Undersecretary Mae Elaine Bathan explained that the Department’s role is to provide assistance by coordinating with other government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs for the issuance of visas, the Bureau of Immigration to facilitate their smooth arrival in Manila, hotels for their accommodation, and tour operators to provide a good travel package for esports fans, both local and international, who are coming to the Philippines for the M5 World Championship at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in December.
“This collaboration is more than a partnership; it’s a movement that bridges the worlds of gaming and tourism,” she said.
“As we embark on this journey, we invite the world to witness the thrill of M5 and likewise explore the breathtaking beauty of the Philippines as a premier tourist destination,” she added.
MOONTON Games Philippines Esports Head Logan Shaw, during the press conference said “the Philippines is one of the biggest Mobile Legends: Bang Bang markets and among the strongest regions in MLBB esports. It is prime time to host the M5 World Championship in Manila, and we are excited to bring local and global MLBB communities together in this memorable event.”
“We hope to bring a greater level of esports tourism to the nation and simultaneously deliver an exceptional viewership experience to the fans,” he added.
Keith Medrano, MOONTON Games regional public relations manager, said a microsite offering specialized tour packages for M5 attendees will be launched under the DOT-MOONTOON partnership.
“Since M5 is the biggest world championship in terms of the number of participating countries, we are expecting fans from different parts of the world such as Indonesia, North America, and the Middle East,” he said.
The group stage and knockout stage 1 will be held at the EVM Convention Center in Quezon City from Dec. 2 to 12.
The second knockout phase and the grand finals will be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium from December 15-17.
