DOT UNVEILS REFRESHED “LOVE THE PHILIPPINES” CAMPAIGN

The new “Discover More to Love” campaign aims to inspire Filipinos to explore their own country while supporting local economies and sustainable, year-round tourism.

By Freida Dario-Santiago

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reaffirmed that “Love the Philippines” will remain the country's official tourism brand while introducing a refreshed domestic tourism campaign, “Discover More to Love,” aimed at inspiring more Filipinos to explore destinations across the archipelago.

Launched during the Central Philippines Tourism Expo (CPTEx) 2026 in Santa Rosa, Laguna, the initiative is designed to complement, not replace, the flagship tourism slogan introduced in 2023. Instead, the campaign seeks to strengthen domestic tourism by encouraging Filipinos to rediscover destinations across the country, particularly during the traditional lean travel months from July to November. 

Tourism Secretary Ma. Bernadita “Dita” Angara-Mathay emphasized that the government is building upon an already established tourism identity rather than creating a new one.

“Love the Philippines is still our national tourism brand. Discover More to Love is not a new brand,” Angara-Mathay said during the campaign launch. “It is a domestic tourism campaign under that same brand created to encourage Filipinos to explore more of our own country and discover even more reasons to love the Philippines.” 

Strengthening the Domestic Market

Under the new direction, the DOT is placing greater emphasis on domestic travelers and returning Filipinos, recognizing local tourism as a major contributor to the country’s economy.

Domestic tourism remains a powerful economic engine for the country. In 2025 alone, local travelers generated at least ₱3.26 trillion in tourism spending, far exceeding revenues from foreign tourism and reaffirming the importance of the domestic market in sustaining businesses and jobs throughout the country. 

Angara-Mathay said the campaign responds to the tourism industry’s call for a stronger domestic travel program, especially during off-peak periods when businesses often experience lower occupancy and reduced visitor arrivals.  “(The thrust is) local muna pero hopefully, we will expand that to international,” Angara-Mathay said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency. 

A Refreshed Approach, Not a Rebranding

While retaining the well-known tourism slogan, the DOT intends to update its messaging to make it more relatable to today’s travelers and more adaptable across different markets.

Speaking during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Japan last May 26, 2026, Angara-Mathay said the agency wants to make the campaign “less emotional and aggressive” while allowing travelers to interpret the concept of love in their own way. 

“We just have to spin it in a different way so that it is adjusted to the times and the message and to something relatable,” Angara-Mathay said. 

The DOT stressed that “Discover More to Love” is not a replacement for the country’s tourism brand but rather a domestic campaign under the existing “Love the Philippines” umbrella.

The decision comes in the wake of the controversial ₱49-million “Love the Philippines” campaign launched in 2023, which drew criticism over creative lapses involving promotional materials. However, Angara-Mathay said continuity and stewardship of the existing brand remain central to the DOT's current direction. 

“I don’t want to spend money on changing the slogan because I was trying precisely to avoid the inclination of people to say, ‘Ours is better than the last one,” Angara-Mathay said. “We're trying to maintain that identity that we’ve invested in, build on what has already been successful and continue to evolve it, while targeting the local tourists.” 

She added that the domestic campaign recognizes that even Filipinos who have already traveled extensively can continue to discover new experiences across the country.

“Not all Filipinos have seen everything. Every day you stumble upon new gems, places or destinations. And even if you’ve gone to a place before, when you go to the same place, you have a different feeling, a different experience every single time,” she said. 

Curated Deals and a New Digital Platform

A major feature of “Discover More to Love” is the introduction of curated and discounted travel-related packages and experiences across the country developed by tourism stakeholders nationwide, including hotels, airlines, tour operators and online travel agencies. 

According to the DOT website, the initiative is not merely a seasonal sale but aims to make domestic travel more affordable and accessible for Filipinos, to encourage them to rediscover the country while helping sustain tourism enterprises during slower travel periods. 

The campaign recently went live through the DOT’s main online portal, tourism.gov.ph, offering exclusive discounts from hotels and airlines, along with travel deals from online travel agencies and other tourism partners. Financial technology providers and payment platforms, including Visa, Mastercard and Alipay, have also joined the initiative to make booking and payment more convenient for travelers. 

Industry groups including the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), as well as carriers such as Cebu Pacific and AirAsia, have pledged support for the initiative. Participating establishments are expected to offer discounts of as much as 50 to 70 percent off published room rates in selected destinations nationwide. 

The current promotional phase will run from July to November 2026, traditionally considered the tourism industry’s lean season due to school schedules and the rainy months. While the DOT has yet to announce whether the campaign’s promotional component will continue beyond November, officials have indicated that the digital platform is envisioned as a long-term initiative that may continue to expand as more stakeholders come on board. 

An Evolving Platform Shaped by Travelers

The DOT is encouraging Filipinos and tourism stakeholders to actively help shape the future of the platform by sharing feedback and suggestions. “We want to build it together with the Filipino traveling public and our tourism stakeholders,” Angara-Mathay said. 

“We encourage everyone to explore it, take advantage of the travel offers, and tell us what works, what doesn’t, and what features you'd like to see,” she said. “Your feedback will help us create a platform that is truly responsive to the needs of Filipino travelers. This platform will continue to evolve, and we invite every Filipino to help shape it with us,” she added. 

Driving Growth Across Communities

Beyond stimulating travel demand, the DOT sees the campaign as a means of spreading economic opportunities to communities that rely heavily on tourism.

“By helping Filipinos discover more opportunities to travel during off-peak periods, we can give travelers greater value and more enjoyable experiences while helping tourism enterprises maintain steady bookings, sustain jobs and strengthen local economies throughout the year,” Angara-Mathay said. 

For destinations such as Boracay, where tourism remains the island’s primary economic engine, the campaign presents an opportunity to encourage repeat visits, promote lesser-known experiences and sustain business activity beyond peak travel seasons.

As the DOT invites Filipinos to rediscover the country, the message remains clear: there are still countless reasons and places to love the Philippines all over again.