Klook, a leading online travel platform, now offers curated tour packages under the Department of Tourism’s Philippine Experience Program (PEP), showcasing five culturally rich Filipino destinations.
The initiative was officially launched on January 15 with the signing of a memorandum of agreement between Klook and the Department of Tourism (DOT).
The destinations feature tours in Palawan, Calabarzon, Bicol, Ilocos, and Western Visayas, with a spotlight on Bacolod City.
“We are grateful that Klook has partnered with the Department of Tourism to support the Love the Philippines campaign, which we have taken all over the world, opening up the eyes of the world to the many reasons to love our country,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.
The DOT chief said this program aligns with the National Tourism Development Plan’s prioritization of digital innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity as pillars for tourism development.
“As we move forward, let us continue to harness the power of collaboration and innovation together,” she said.
For easy search, interested travelers may look up “Klook Exclusive: Culture, Heritage & Arts Tour” in the platform’s search bar. Prices range depending on the packages that the traveler will avail.
In the Calabarzon leg, for example, the package already includes three nights and four days of accommodation, meals, and transportation for P33,888 per person if part of a group of four or P24,888 per person if part of a group of eight.
“We’re very excited to partner up with the Department of Tourism, especially about not leaving out any of tourist operators locally, making sure that digital transformation really impacts the entire industry,” Klook president and co-founder Eric Gnock Fah said in an interview.
“Working with the government bodies, we can now make sure that every single party in the Philippine tourism industry is now included, and we will be putting a lot of effort to make sure that that happens (as well as to) connect these experiences to global travelers,” he added.
In addition to the PEP curated tours, the partnership aims to integrate the DOT’s Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) on Klook and explore collaborations with Mactan-Cebu and Clark International Airports through the endorsement of the DOT.
Currently, Klook offers over half a million travel experiences, covering more than 2,700 destinations nationwide.