The Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking at ways to attract more British visitors and elevate the United Kingdom (UK) as a “key tourism market” for the Philippines.

Speaking at the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines’ 2024 Travel Talks in Makati City on Thursday, DOT Undersecretary Shereen Gail Yu-Pamintuan said the government is ramping up promotions for its various tourism portfolios, including sun and beach, golf, and dive tourism in international travel fairs in Europe.

“UK is actually one of our opportunity markets. We are hoping to graduate them into a key market,” she said.

“As we promote the country, we ensure that we are present in many of the big institutional travel fairs. So, we are constantly present in the World Travel Mart. We also make sure that in Europe, we participate in the many diving shows because our dive portfolio is really one of our strengths.”

Visitors from the UK reached 154,698 last year, short of at least 50,000 to be identified as a “key market,” Yu-Pamintuan said

The DOT, however, seems to be on track to meet its goal as the number of inbound tourists from the European state from January to April alone has hit 61,156.

Yu-Pamintuan noted that apart from dive and nature tourism, the DOT is focusing on positioning the country as a top health and wellness destination.

“For example, for dental tourism, it’s a no-brainer that it’s cheaper here in the Philippines to have your aesthetics done for your teeth,” she said. “So, they can come in and consult via Zoom platform, come in and have their teeth surveyed, and then schedule within the week the measurements for your teeth, and then while you’re waiting for them to fabricate it, you can go on a vacation.”

The DOT, she said, is working with tour operators to make specialized packages for these tourism products.

Yu-Pamintuan said efforts to make traveling in the Philippines seamless for foreigners are also continuous as she conveyed the DOT’s readiness to collaborate with the private sector.

“We take great pride in our 7,641 islands with endless choice of destinations to choose from, that are now more immersive, diverse, richer, deeper, more authentic, more competitive, and ultimately uniquely Filipino,” she said.

“We extend our hand of collaboration as we navigate through these exciting times of change and opportunity,” she said before British businessmen present at the forum. (PNA)