measuring 102,043 square kilometers or 34% of the nation's total land area. Today, it is a veritable collage of transitions, from a largely lethargic past to a high-tech present made so by frenzied local and international efforts to parlay its natural and human treasures into veritable fuels for growth and development, not only for the country but for the East Asian region as well.
Mindanao became part of an unprecedented international effort to harness and develop the growth potential of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The EAGA project is aimed at increasing trade, investments and tourism within a growth polygon composed of the following areas: Brunei Darussalam; the provinces of North Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan in Indonesia; Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia; and, Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines. Gearing up to be known as the Asian Resort Playground of the 21 st century, the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area) possesses tremendous potential in the following sub-sectors: eco-tourism, diving, history & culture, trekking and adventure, and world class resorts.
Under the tourism master plan, Mindanao hopes to achieve a major increase in visitors from the 4% in 1989 to 19% by the year 2010, with one million of these being foreign tourists. The study also foresees Mindanao as receiving 19% of all foreign visitors to the Philippines by the year 2010.
Of all the destinations in Mindanao, Davao City is the most frequently visited by foreign and local tourist. It is considered as Mindanao's center for trade and commerce.
The presence of world class resorts in Mindanao is envisioned to increase the attraction of the region as a site for large conventions and first-rate conference facilities. The establishment of first rate resorts opens the door for the operation of cruise ship centers. The construction of a cruise ship terminal in Zamboanga City will effectively link Mindanao to other ports within the EAGA which will be included in the EAGA travel cruise package.
Another destination being developed is the Samal Islands, located some 700 meters off Davao City, covering a total of 28,000 hectares of mountain ranges, rolling hills, fabulous white sandy beaches and breathtaking coves. Twenty sites have been identified for resort development, 13 on Samal Island itself and seven on Talikid Island.
Promotional Support for Mindanao
In support of BIMP-EAGA and to spur foreign and domestic tourism activity in the Southern Philippines, domestic promotional activities have been conceptualized, namely: Exotic Mindanao, a tri-media campaign which emphasizes the exotic appeal of the region-its vast natural resources, clear waters and unspoiled beaches, colorful festivals, fascinating art and culture, outlandish fruits and food plus shopping for ethnic merchandise.
This project will be an essential component of the Muslim International Islamic Trade, Tourism & Investment Conference (MITTIC), which aims to open the door to the Special Zone for peace and development (SZOPAD) as a new investment mecca in the Far East. It will showcase the various trade and consumer goods through product exhibitions and feature cultural heritage plus exotic attractions of the region in a destination showcase.
Case Study-Bring Home a Friend Project
Bring Home a Friend (BHAF), is a brainchild of Tourism Secretary Mina T. Gabor. The three-year program was launched with the objective of increasing tourists by encouraging Filipino citizens to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination to their foreign friends, relatives or business associates.
It attracted over 50 prime sponsors, an unprecedented number, that supported the program such as American Express International and the national telephone company and support by the private sector tourism and travel industry; trade and exports; and now religions and laity.
This year, BHAF aims to be the Department of Tourism's flagship program in increasing tourists in the country by at least 2.3 million for 1997, bring about a substantial increase in tourist revenue and generate more employment opportunities for Filipinos especially in the tourism sector.
Last year, the program generated I .78 billion worth of tourism revenue, which exceeded the projected target of P 1.1 billion for the whole three year program. Because of this, the program has been extended for two more years ending December 1998, where we will be having a "Centennial Roadshow" and "Centennial Grandslam," with very exciting prizes.
The program has been replicated by Canada having recently launched its own version called "Y'all Bring Home a Friend." If there is any indication that the Canadian program is successful, it is if the campaign is being copied. Other entities such as the Barbados Tourism Authority, Air New Zealand and Philcom have expressed interest in the scheme. Other countries who requested information are Hong Kong, USA, Australia, Japan, Germany, France and Belgium.
Closing Remarks
What I have mentioned earlier are some of the promotional and marketing strategies the Philippine Department of Tourism has taken in order to sustain what we have achieved in the last five years. We shall continue optimizing domestic tourism by marketing International tourism.
I wish to end my discussion by showing this video which presents the Philippines in a nutshell.
Dohmo-arrigato gozai-mashta.
