Ilocos Norte’s “Paoay Kumakaway!” debuts in local, int’l market

The Ilocos Norte Provincial Tourism Office announced today the expansion of the province’s efforts to attract more visitors to travel north by officially launching a full blast media campaign of the new tourism brand‘Paoay Kumakaway!’ in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Today, the tourism office unveiled ‘Paoay Kumakaway!’ billboards showcasing Ilocos Norte’s finest tourist attractions along the Light Rail Transit  System (LRT 1)traversing the Taft – Rizal Avenue route between Baclaran, Pasay City, and the Bonifacio Monument in the City of Caloocan

Billboards of the said advertisement are also seen at the LRT 2 that traverses in five cities in Metro Manilanamely Pasig, Marikina, Quezon City, San Juan and Manila and along the major thoroughfares of Marcos Highway, Aurora Boulevard, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Legarda and Recto Avenue.

Provincial Tourism Officer Mr. Ian Ree Raquel also added that negotiations are going on with the South Luzon Expressway management and the Metro Manila Skyway for the installation of further promotional ads of ‘Paoay Kumakaway!’

In its bid to attract more ‘balikbayans’ to spend their holidays and vacation in Ilocos Norte, the tourism office also leased TV spot commercials on four NAIA screens which is officially launched and viewed today at the east and west arrival concourse of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 and at the arrival concierge of Terminal 2.

Last month the provincial government of Ilocos Norte filmed ‘Paoay Kumakaway! which showcases the province’s natural and manmade wonders for a TV commercial for local and international TV airing.

The TV ad is simultaneously viewed today over Cinema One, The Filipino Channel (TFC), Star Movies and Solar Sports.

Apart from targeting the mainstream international tourism backyards, the TV ad aims to divert domestic tourists to travel to Ilocos Norte into an actual visit and regain the Chinese market. It could be remembered that numerous cancellations were made from Chinese clients due to the Luneta hostage crisis in 2010.

According to Raquel, the launching is part of the provincial government’s campaign to boost domestic tourism arrivals in Ilocos Norte.

“This launching is the first among the series of activities that the provincial government will carry out to promote ‘Paoay Kumakaway!’. For the mean time, our prospects are the domestic market and the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs),” Raquel said.

According to Gov. Imee R. Marcos, a full blast media campaign about the new tourism brand ‘Paoay Kumakaway!’  is necessary since the tourism industry is one of Ilocos Norte’s largest employer as it consistently generated more jobs and revenues for the province in the past two years.

‘Paoay Kumakaway!’ is part of Gov. Marcos’ Metro Ilocos Tourism Master Plan laid out last year, where tourism campaign focused on major tourist destinations in the province but made the town of Paoay as the launching pad.

“We are listed in the Top 10 Tourist Destinations in the country by the Department of Tourism and we aim to maintain our spot in the ranks. By launching the ‘Paoay Kumakaway!’ in Metro Manila and the setting up of new tourist and business centers, we hope to capture more domestic tourists and major investments and pave the way to make Ilocos Norte a tourism hub in the Philippines” Gov. Marcos said. (Florante A. Nicolas, PGIN- CMO)