A House leader on Monday recommended holding nationwide consultations with tourism stakeholders on how to develop a “genuine rebrand and restart” of the country’s tourism sector.

In a statement, House ways and means committee chairperson Joey Salceda said the government could launch Sulong Turismo, or a consultative conference to collect input and views from stakeholders on the “6 As” of tourism, namely: attraction, accessibility, amenities, available packages, activities and ancillary services.

Salceda made the recommendation in reaction to the controversy surrounding the use of stock footage of other countries in the promotional video of the “Love the Philippines” campaign, noting that the “country must gain something productive from these heated discussions.”

“The back-and-forth of statements was good for revealing what needs to be improved. But we have to move forward. Let’s genuinely sit down and talk,” Salceda said.

He said Sulong Pilipinas was an annual consultative conference that was spearheaded by the previous administration to determine the general direction of the country’s government.

It was an inclusive approach in policymaking that brought together different stakeholders to provide inputs on how to improve governance.

“At the end of each consultation, you had actionable points that were submitted to the President to be given the highest priority,” he said.

Salceda said the Department of Tourism can use the Sulong platform to improve its branding campaign that would “reflect improvements in what this country offers tourists.”

“If the experience doesn’t change, the impression will not change. So, beyond rebranding, we need to make genuine improvements in key areas in the sector. Remember, the pandemic reset the whole global tourism sector,” he said.

He added that aside from setting a promising slogan, the DOT must also focus on bringing in real improvements in the fundamentals, particularly in developing a “good product to sell”.

“As a slogan, ‘Love the Philippines’ is demanding enough on a foreign tourist’s first date with this country. Let’s at least give them reasons to do so,” he said.

DOT Secretary Christina Frasco has ordered an “exhaustive investigation” on the recently released “Love the Philippines” campaign video after it went viral for allegedly using stock video footage shot overseas.

DOT’s contracted agency, DDB Philippines, said it is taking full responsibility for the blunder.

The DOT unveiled the enhanced tourism campaign slogan “Love the Philippines” on June 27, replacing the 11-year-old “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” with an intent to come up with one that showcases the “Filipino brand.” (PNA)