THE Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has been allocated some P1.17 billion in funds from the national government for 2023. The TPB is the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
The amount is in the form of automatic appropriations sourced from the national government’s (NG) share from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (at least 25 percent) and from the NG share from international airports and seaports (at least 25 percent), and collectively gathered as a Tourism Promotions Fund. The appropriation falls under the Department of Budget and Management’s Special Account in the General Fund (SAGF), basically a trust fund deposited in the National Treasury representing shares of from select government firms.
Under the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2023, the TPB is targetting to attract 7 million tourist arrivals, the same as in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, however, there were only 39,323 tourist arrivals largely due to the continued pandemic travel restrictions imposed in the country and by other nations.
The TPB its also targetting tourist receipts at P933 million in 2023, down by 29 percent from its target of some P1.32 billion this year.
Different KPIs
Lawyer Charles Aames Bautista, officer-in-charge of the TPB, told the BusinessMirror, however, “The targets [in the DBM budget documents] are the DOT’s. We have different key performance indicators in the TPB, which are marketing related — our reach, business-to-business events organized locally and abroad, website visits, social media following, etc.”
He explained, “The exact value is still to be determined upon approval of a strategic marketing plan.”
So far, among TPB’s major plans and programs for next year include the staging of a signature show like the Philippine Travel Exchange, MICE Convention, and regional travel fairs; and institutional campaigns like the Philippine Motorcycle Tourism and Philippine Faith and Heritage Program.
It will also hold a members’ chat and set up a Business-to-Business Platform for its members; as well as expand its Travel App (3.0). The DOT said last week it would be creating an app to enable travelers to have an easier time making bookings for their visits to the country or its other destinations. (See, “DOT ‘super app’ to link travelers, food hubs,” in the BusinessMirror, September 2, 2022)
Fund utilization rate for 1H 2022
It will also be attending the following international events: the World Travel Market in London; Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) fairs; Asean Tourism Forum, the Arabian Travel Mart, Dive Equipment and Marketing Association Show, Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart, Tourism Expo Japan; and World Expo in Buenos Aires.
Its domestic events include the Philippine TravelMart and Travel Tour Expo.
Meanwhile, as of June 30, the TPB has spent 15.4 percent or P272 million of its P1.78 billion corporate operating budget for 2022. “Most events especially international shows that we participate in, happen in the second half as it coincides with the summer and fall seasons in the countries where the shows are,” Bautista said. The first half budget utilization rate was higher than the 13.93 percent utilization rate in 2021.
For the full year 2022, the TPB utilized 81 percent of its P1.76-billion corporate operating budget. The unutilized amount is returned to the SAGF in the account of the TPB. Bautista said the unutilized funds can still be used for activities until the first quarter of the succeeding year.
Image credits: Marky Ramone Go