Unique Tourism Dept ad uses dancers instead of drone shots to portray Philippines’ natural beauty

Screenshot: Department of Tourism (Facebook)
Screenshot: Department of Tourism (Facebook)

There’s no doubt that the tourism industry has been one of the most adversely affected during pandemic. Now, with people finally looking to travel once more, each country has been working on unique ways to entice tourists to come back — the Philippines included.

The country’s Department of Tourism just launched a tourism ad they claimed “[you] won’t skip” that eschews the usual tourism ad cliches, like drone shots of beaches and sunsets, for something much more… people-focused.

“What makes it more fun in the Philippines? For years, we have shone the spotlight on the country’s stunning beaches and landscapes, its marvelous heritage sites and natural attractions. This one has no sweeping drone shots, no stunning sunsets, and not a single beach,” tourism secretary Berna Romulo Puyat wrote on Facebook.

The creative ad shows dancers using precisely painted outfits and choreography to form images of the country’s most well-known sights, skipping the “sun, sand, actors, drone shots, and special effects.”

Puyat said that the aim of the ad was to highlight the importance of people in building the country’s tourism industry. 

“We want to show how, almost literally, it’s the people who make the destination. We recognize the people who have always made our destinations more memorable and more fun—our tourism workers. They—you— are what truly matters to the industry, and for that, it’s been our honor to be at your service.”

The 1-minute and 55-second ad also features sounds recorded in 23 locations across the country, “from crashing waves in Samar to mountain hikes in the Cordilleras, T’boli instruments from South Cotabato to the drumming of Dakila Garcia, La Union’s best percussionist.”



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