In PDOT’s London drive to raise awareness to both consumers and the travel industry, it is continually organising and implementing familiarization trips to the Philippines over the next few weeks.
Coming to the Philippines are tour operators together with airlines eager to expand their destination portfolios to the country; filming groups exploring the country’s diverse fauna; bloggers and writers with commissions on UK’s national dailies and even bird tour operators.
Earlier this month, TV personality Robson Green was in the Palawan to shoot for a one-off television show for ITV. Set in Guntao Island, El Nido and in Manila, they documented the efforts of the celebrity as he embarked on a unique and highly personal travel adventure. His mission was to re- create, in a modern day context, the scenario where a man is left to fend for himself on an uninhabited island.
With Emirates Airlines launching their new route to Cebu from Dubai, PDOT London assisted the trip of two notable writers from Travel Hack and The Independent Newspaper, namely Elle Croft and Kate Wills respectively to promote the destination and its environs.
PDOT organised their arrangements on the ground which covered whaleshark interaction tours in Oslob, dolphins and seeing the Chocolate Hills as well as other attractions of Bohol. Both writers already posted a huge amount of content while out in the Philippines to their massive fanbase on social media. They will be releasing their respective articles on their publications before the end of the month.
Another article to look forward to will be a Philippines feature on Wanderlust, one of the UK’s leading travel magazines. Explore, one of the largest adventure travel companies commissioned writer Nick Bolous to write about their 13 day program to Northern Philippines.
Famed TV personality Kate Humble who was in the Philippines this month, will be writing an article on the Telegraph newspaper. The article will be focusing on Bohol as a destination along with the scuba diving opportunities, the culture and local activities. Dive Worldwide, the largest selling dive operator for the Philippines arranged and supported all ground arrangements and activities in the Philippines for Kate Humbleand her photographer with PDOT helping out with the flights.
John Nightingale one of the foremost underwater writers and photographers in the UK, was commissioned by Geographical Magazine for an article about the African wildlife of Calauit Island and by DIVE Magazine for an article on ‘dugongs’ and whale sharks of Southern Leyte.
Alan Godwin of Reef and Rainforest, a wildlife tour operator in the UK, is joining John on the trip with the aim of introducing a wildlife program on the Philippines both visited the Philippines this month.
Yorkshire Times, one of the fastest growing online publications in the UK catering to the entire region, sent their writer Philip Hopkins this month to write about the attractions of Manchester, Davao, Manila, Baguio and Sagada.
Also this month, Mark Stratton, the travel writer of the year 2015, was in Manila to do a 24-hour travel feature in Manila which will also appear on Wanderlust Magazine. Edsa Shangri-la and Crowne Plaza Hotels hosted Mark during his stay there.
With twin-centre destination holidays to the Philippines and other regional destinations now becoming more mainstream, Philippine Airlines organised a familiarization trip for UK tour operators together with Papua New Guinea Tourism board to both destinations.Philippine ground handler Intas Destinations, PDOT and Dusit assisted with arrangements in Manila.
Wildfoot Travel, a luxury wildlife operator will also be travelling to Papua New Guinea and Manila from April – May to explore the birdwatching opportunities in both destinations.
John Swindell is set to visit Candaba swamp and see first-hand the Philippine endemics there for the development of a birdwatching program that will include a stop-constantly see the country’s attractions on esteemed publications both online and offline.
PDOT London’s partners in the UK travel industry too are well poised to meet this growing demand as they continue to build more holiday packages to the Philippines.
