ABOUT

BACKGROUND
The Region IV-A (CALABARZON) Office of the Philippine Department of Tourism launched the Green Corridor Initiative in 2021 in order to maintain regional biodiversity, improving environmental quality, and offering economic resilience opportunities while protecting heritage and culture among provinces of the region as economies restart under the new normal. This led to the determination of initial or Phase 1 tourism circuits in each of the five provinces, that would serve as foundations for better domestic tourism promotions. However, the program lacked direction, identity, and actual promotional materials that would set the destinations within the CALABARZON region apart from the offerings of other Philippine localities.

CONCEPT
In order to sell CALABARZON region to domestic tourists, we identified what makes each of the tourism circuits in the five provinces unique compared to more renowned destinations like the islands of Palawan, Boracay, and Siargao, which are consistently on top of mind of both local and foreign visitors.

In determining the unique selling point of the province of Cavite, we took a closer look at the towns included in its circuit: Maragondon, Alfonso, Silang, and Tagaytay. We noted that these localities are abundant in farms, spas, and are often considered relaxation havens. This led us to decide that Cavite must espouse the perfect Philippine destination for those seeking to relax and have a health break.

For the province of Laguna, we surveyed what often invites tourists to visit the towns of San Pablo, Rizal, Liliw, and Nagcarlan. And we noticed that people always rave about the province's heirloom dishes and its wonderous seven lakes.

In looking at how to promote the province of Batangas, we underscored that the top attractions of the towns of Nasugbu, Calatagan, San Juan, and Taal are its sunny beaches and well-preserved heritage towns.

For the province of Rizal, we noticed that the towns of Angono, Taytay, Cainta, and Antipolo are melting pots of cultures, offering travelers sites for pilgrimage, art museums, food crawls, and shopping centers.

And for the province of Quezon, we put a spotlight on the amazing surfing and river rafting spots in the towns of Real, Infanta, and General Nakar, making it a mecca for those seeking adrenaline rush.

EXECUTION
In developing the promotional materials for the campaign, we took special notice of the client's directive that they would first launch the creatives in digital platforms. This led us to pinpoint appropriate media for the project:
1. Posters featuring stunning vistas are effective in capturing the attention of both budding and seasoned travelers; and
2. Videos depicting activities to try and new places to discover encouraging confidence among tourists to actually commit to a trip they are planning.

It also appealed that posters can easily be converted into print and OOH ads while the videos can become spots for TV placement.

To ensure that target audiences connect with the USPs of each of the tourism circuits we wanted to highlight, the promotional materials developed featured models/characters that best exemplify the destinations and activities featured in the promotional materials for each of the provinces.

RESULTS
The Green Corridor Initiative Promotional Materials’ launch in digital channels were positively welcomed by local tourism offices and travelers alike.

The digital posters series earned a total of 11,209,985 impressions, reached 7,770,992 people, and received 48,582 engagements.

The digital video series earned a total of 11,996,351 impressions, reached 8,464,450 people, recorded a total of 1,812,092 video views, and received 86,950 engagements.

The Green Corridor Initiative Promotional Materials were also determined to directly contribute to the 22.09 million visitors for same-day arrivals in 4Q of 2023 versus 9.71 million total visitors for 4Q 2022, a 159.29 year-on-year percent increase in tourist arrivals in the region.