MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) and travel platform Klook have renewed their partnership to promote domestic tourism, develop emerging destinations and help local tourism businesses reach travelers in the Philippines and abroad.
The two organizations signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding on Sept. 1 in Makati City, extending their strategic partnership for multiple years. The agreement will focus on highlighting hidden gems across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao while bringing more local tourism operators into the digital economy.
Under the renewed agreement, the DOT and Klook will work on tourism campaigns, including “Discover More to Love,” while developing curated travel experiences and supporting local businesses in adopting digital tools.
DOT Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the expanded partnership will place greater emphasis on helping tourism stakeholders, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) outside major urban centers, participate in the digital tourism ecosystem.
“As we continue to expand our partnership with Klook, we are placing greater emphasis on the participation of our tourism stakeholders,” Angara-Mathay said. “We want to ensure that our experience providers, particularly MSMEs in the provinces, are equipped to participate meaningfully in the digital tourism ecosystem.”
She said giving local businesses access to platforms such as Klook would make their tourism offerings more visible and easier to book, while providing travelers with a more seamless, convenient and secure booking process.
The partnership also aims to strengthen destination branding and tourism product development through the DOT’s regional offices.
As part of the initiative, the agencies will spotlight lesser-known and emerging destinations and work with community-based tourism operators and MSMEs to develop products that can appeal to changing traveler interests.
For Klook, the renewed agreement represents an opportunity to expand the reach of Filipino tourism experiences beyond the domestic market.
“Our partnership with the DOT has been an incredible milestone for Klook, and we are thrilled to extend this across a multi-year period to elevate what we believe Philippine tourism can be,” said Michelle Ho, Klook Philippines general manager.
Ho said supporting local merchants would not only make Filipino experiences more accessible but also help position the Philippines as a destination that travelers consider both domestically and internationally.
“By supporting and empowering local merchants, we aren’t just making unique, authentic Filipino experiences more accessible, but are ultimately positioning the Philippines as a top-of-mind destination for travelers domestically and worldwide,” she said.
The renewed partnership builds on Klook’s role in promoting digital adoption within the Philippine tourism sector. Through the platform, local businesses can reach more potential travelers and adjust their offerings based on evolving travel needs and preferences.
Ho said the extension reflects the progress made through the organizations’ previous collaboration.
“This renewed ambition is a testament to the success of our combined efforts, and we look forward to collaborating on even more initiatives to propel Philippine tourism forward,” she said.
The signing was documented in photos included in the DOT media release. The images on page 3 show representatives from the DOT and Klook holding copies of the agreement after the signing, followed by a second photo showing the representatives signing the documents at the ceremony.
The renewed alliance comes as the tourism sector continues to expand its use of digital platforms to connect travelers with local experiences, while giving provincial tourism operators greater access to domestic and international markets.
Through the multi-year partnership, the DOT and Klook aim to turn more of the country's lesser-known destinations and locally operated experiences into bookable products for travelers, while strengthening the Philippines' presence in the global tourism marketplace.
