DoT-Osaka office stirs Japanese women’s interest

The new office of the Department of Tourism (DoT) in the bustling Chuo-ku business district in Osaka is drawing significant attention and interest in Philippine tourism among many Japanese career women in Osaka, Japan’s second most important city after Tokyo. They are lured by the exotic looks of the DoT office, whose TV monitors continuously run footages of the Philippines’ marvelous tourism destinations and its fascinating diversity of cultures.

Even hurrying passersby along this busy street of Honmachi Dori cannot help but take a second look at the visual displays, including the lighted panels featuring the Philippines’ three signature images – heaven, beach, and resort. Many are instinctively drawn to the site and impulsively or curiously enter the office to ask for information about such destinations. But entering the office ushers them in to an even greater surprise as the interiors literally provide a sampling of the “Premium Resort Islands Philippines” experience. Suddenly, they find themselves engulfed in the world of Filipino artistry — from the iconic stone and glass sculpture of noted sculptor Impy Pilapil to the furniture and furnishings made by the elite Movement 8 designers Budji Layug and Al Caronan.

Team Japan Head Rosvi C. Gaetos said the DoT had commissioned Japanese company Shien Co. to design the office but using indigenous materials and furnishings crafted in the Philippines by reputable manufacturers/exporters, including Locsin International. Inside, a cheerful Japanese information officer greets and assists inquiring visitors, mostly working women, who outright get a visual idea of what “The Philippines – Wellness from the Inside Out” campaign means. This campaign adds a new dimension to the “Premium Resort Islands Philippines” brand, for which the DoT office provides a vivid imagery and optimum visual impact. Moreover, the office offers visitors a vast collection of references and resource materials on the Philippines, with the information officer eager to answer queries and recommend travel itineraries.

Citing a report from Tourism Attaché Val Cabansag, Gaetos said the office, since its opening last July 25, had been drawing walk-ins at an average of 15 a day, and still counting. “And this is on top of the daily interactions with wholesalers, retailers, FITs (frequent individual travelers), and prospective tourism investors,” Gaetos added. The marked increase can also be attributed to location. Also along Honmachi Dori are the offices of major airlines and travel agencies, and numerous travel-related establishments within its radius. “It allows us to reach out to a greater audience, thereby increasing the level of awareness on the Philippines among the Japanese,” said Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace H. Durano, stressing the strategic importance of Osaka in the DoT’s campaign in Japan. “Osaka accounts for more than 15 percent of Japan’s 17.4 million outbound market and is the focal point in the Kansai region, which as a whole accounts for over six million outbound tourists, contributing a significant number of Japanese arrivals to the Philippines,” Durano explained.

The new DoT office in Osaka complements the Travel Café Philippines in Tokyo. Both were inaugurated last July 24 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Philippine-Japan relations. Both are also primarily targeted at the women’s segment of the Japanese market. This segment covers 35 million Japanese women in their 20s to 50s, 7.2 million of whom have extensive overseas travel experience. Among all nationalities, Japanese tourists have the biggest disposable income and are known to be big spenders on shopping and entertainment, with total spend of .5 billion and average spend per traveler of ,746. source:

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