MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for increased investments in transport infrastructure and digital services to attract more visitors to lesser-known destinations across the Philippines while creating economic opportunities for local communities.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said improving ports, airports, and digital payment systems would help address accessibility challenges that continue to limit tourism development in remote and emerging destinations.
Speaking at the 2026 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit on November 11, Angara-Mathay emphasized the importance of strengthening both physical and digital infrastructure to support tourism enterprises, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“We recognize that access is a key issue that we must think about and address. We want investments in physical infrastructure, ports and airports. We also want digital solutions to get our Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises onboarded on platforms which have an enormous reach globally,” she said.
As part of its digitalization efforts, the DOT renewed partnerships with online travel platform Klook and electronic wallet provider GCash to improve tourism services and expand market opportunities for local businesses.
Under the partnership with Klook, the department aims to use the platform’s international reach to promote curated Philippine travel packages and encourage tourists to explore destinations beyond established tourism centers.
Meanwhile, the agreement with GCash seeks to increase the adoption of cashless payment systems among tourism-related MSMEs nationwide, making transactions more convenient for domestic and international travelers.
The initiatives are intended to improve the overall visitor experience, from booking accommodations and travel activities to making payments at local establishments.
The DOT said these efforts complement its Discover More to Love campaign, which promotes a wider range of Philippine destinations beyond traditional beach and island attractions.
