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The Creative Tourism Network® is very proud to have collaborated in the organization of the 1st Philippine Creative Tourism Congress, held at the Art District in Bacolod, last December 6th-9th.

This high-level event, organized by the Department of Tourism Office of Product and Market Development (DOT-OPMD) with support from the DOT Region VI office aimed at shaping a new perspective of tourism in the Philippines.

Creative Tourism hailed as the catalyst for a new era in travel, is an innovative approach that involves both tourists and local communities in crafting unique and immersive travel experiences – a concept centered on co-creation.

The PCTC is a collaborative effort between the DOT and the Creative Tourism Network (CTN), whose mission is to showcase destinations that leverage creative tourism as a distinct element to entice the new generation of travelers and bolster the destination’s value chain.

Indeed, the Creative Tourism Network® (CTN) has been consulted to redefine the landscape of travel and tourism in the country. That’s why the Congress was the convergence point of a project that started months ago, with training conducted by the Creative Tourism Academy of the CTN, aimed to co-create Creative Experiences with all the Philippine stakeholders, from a wide array of sectors: tourism, hospitality, crafts, CCIs, agriculture, etc.

The director of the Creative Tourism Network®, Caroline Couret, highlighted the Philippines’ huge potential to be a leading destination in creative tourism. The uniqueness and diversity of its intangible heritage, know-how, and celebrations, as well as its high level of expertise and engineering, both in tourism and creative industries, will be now boosted by new national laws to support the whole sector!”.

Within the session, the Creative Tourism Network® labeled three Philippine cities as CreativeFriendlyDestinations, namely Cebu, Baguio, and Iloilo, thus reinforcing the link with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, honored as the keynote speaker on December 6, expressed her enthusiasm about the congress saying, “, . , . , ‘ .”
“ , , , -, ,“ the tourism chief added.

Envisioned as a convergence of tourism luminaries, creative industry professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders, the PCTC endeavors to unearth the untapped possibilities of creative tourism. It seeks to facilitate knowledge exchange, share best practices, and lay the groundwork for its sustainable advancement throughout the Philippines.

“ .’ . , , , , ,” Secretary Frasco said.

The PCTC 2023 represents a cornerstone in the DOT’s commitment to amplifying the cultural richness and creative prowess of the Philippines on the global stage. It marks the initiation of a journey toward sustainable and inclusive tourism, encapsulating the essence of collaboration and innovation.

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