‘Premium Resort Islands Philippines’ branding at World Expo ‘05 in Japan

The "Premium Resort Islands Philippines" brand is effectively being promoted in the ongoing World Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan.

Exciting travel packages are featured at the Philippine pavilion, which promotes the country’s rich cultural heritage and its beautiful sites and destinations to some 15 million World Expo visitors, 90 percent of whom are Japanese.

Also featured are the country’s traditional therapeutic massage locally known as "hilot" and the now popular coconut oil, both are showcased in an eye-catching, cocoon-like structure inside the pavilion.

Shaped like a coconut shell, this "cocoon of scents" envelops visitors in essential oils and natural perfumes that bring about a feeling of health and wellness – Philippine style.

"All such components of the Philippine pavilion, including the Latik Restaurant and a boutique of fine handicraft and artistic creations, were carefully selected and deliberately put together to depict "Premium Resort Islands Philippines" and establish it as the country’s brand image in the Japanese market," said Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace H. Durano.

"That perception is capsulized and enhanced by our exhibit theme ‘Usbong’, or the seeds of life," Durano added.

Explaining the rationale behind that marketing thrust, Durano said: "The big emphasis is on the use of ‘Premium Resort Islands’ as a tagline or positioning line to describe the Philippines in a nutshell, and thus establish a beautiful-active image of our country in the Japanese minds."

Durano is referring to the familiarity and affinity of the Japanese to the term "Premium Resort," which creates high-class imagery.

"Moreover, ‘Premium Resort’ is easy for the Japanese to understand and pronounce, and leads them to imagine a place worth spending their money for relaxation, shopping and other fun activities," said Philippine Commissioner General for World Expo 2005 Rosvi C. Gaetos, also head of Team Japan of the Department of Tourism (DoT).

Japan is the Philippines’ second largest tourist market, accounting for an average of 19 to 21 percent of the country’s total arrivals over the past 10 years.

The DoT is organizing a business mission to Japan covering the key cities of Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya from June 1 to 10.

Secretary Durano is urging Filipino businessmen and entrepreneurs to join the mission and take advantage of the business opportunities that it will generate.

The mission involves business conferences and individual appointments between Filipino enterprises and their Japanese counterparts, including a "Tourism Business Exchange," in each of the three cities.