THE DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DOT) and Klook Philippines on Wednesday (Jan. 15) formally signed a partnership that would make travel experience in the country more accessible for all, highlighting curated tour packages of the Philippine Experience Program (PEP), a flagship tourism program that was developed and launched under the Marcos Administration.
With the unveiling of the latest collaboration between the DOT and one of Asia’s leading platforms for experiences and travel services comes a pioneering roster of PEP tours on the platform offering tours across the country. It also aims to accelerate the digitalization of Philippine tourism.
Now available on Klook are must-experience destinations including a Culture, Heritage & Arts Tour in Calabarzon, where travelers will discover the captivating Pagsanjan Falls, and cultural landmarks like the connective Pinto Art Museum and the historical Villa Escudero.
Also available is the Culture, Heritage & Adventure Tour in Bicol, where one can embark on an ATV adventure to Mayon Volcano and sample the delicious Bicolano cuisine, highlighting the wonders found south of the capital in Luzon.
Up north, the Culture, Heritage & Arts Tour in the Ilocos Region offers visitors to the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage City to discover the Philippines’ Spanish colonial history. During the tour, participants will also get the chance to interact with locals and savor local specialties like empanadas and tupig.
For those looking to explore the Visayas region, travelers can look into visiting Silay City, known for its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and heritage houses, as well as its fresh and delectable seafood through the Culture, Heritage & Arts Tour in Western Visayas.
To round up the pioneering set of tours is an exclusive experience highlighting the beautiful sights, history, and traditions of Palawan in the Culture, Heritage & Arts Tour in Palawan, through the Palawan Special Battalion WW-II Memorial Museum, Binuatan Weaving Creation workshops, and the Butterfly Garden.
On top of the PEP curated tours the partnership also looks to integrate the DOT’s Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) on Klook and initiate exploratory partnerships with the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Clark International Airport through the endorsement of the DOT.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Klook president and co-founder Eric Gnock Fah led the ceremonial signing of Strategic Alliance and Memorandum of Agreement between the DOT and Klook, with Tourism Assistant Secretary Sharlene Zabala-Batin and Klook general manager for Philippines and Thailand Michelle Ho as witnesses.
“With this partnership with Klook, the Philippine Experience Program will now be carried on the Klook platform. The Philippine Experience Program is a flagship initiative of the Marcos administration, whereby, we are translating the President’s vision of reintroducing the Philippines to the world, not just from a one-dimensional lens of fun and adventure, but also from the highly diversified lens of our Filipino identity that can very well be seen in in our culture, our heritage, our stories, immersions into our communities, our gastronomy, and all the other experiences that you can have in our destinations. Carrying the Philippine Experience Program on Klook will also equalize tourism opportunities among our destinations, which is the advocacy of the Department of Tourism,” Secretary Frasco said.
From Klook’s end, the global platform’s co-founder shared his excitement about this new endeavor.
“At Klook, we believe there are countless adventures, unique experiences, and cultural treasures still waiting to be discovered. Here in the Philippines, with its stunning natural wonders and the warmth and vibrancy of its people, we are excited to partner with the Department of Tourism to bring even more of these incredible experiences to Filipinos and travelers around the world,” Gnock Fah said.
Klook will also continue hosting a series of regional roadshows to encourage more travel operators to take advantage of its technology and have a global reach.
Over the years, Klook has been an active partner of the DOT. The first partnership was during the pandemic for training seminars on social media marketing and product development; the rolling out of Intramuros Pass to give travelers exclusive access to attractions and activities inside the award-winning Walled City; and the marketing collaboration with the Tourism Promotions Board on the Love the Philippines Campaign.
At present, Klook has over half a million experiences on its platform, catering to over 2,700 destinations nationwide.
