DOT, TikTok launch Wanderlust Week to promote PH destinations through digital content

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and TikTok on Monday launched Wanderlust Week, a travel online content series that features Philippine destinations and promotes tourism.

Wanderlust features Sparkle artist Renée Dominique, Filipino-French-Algerian content creator Léah Good Vibes, British television presenter Mark Odea, and travel and lifestyle creator Mike Yu.

The seven-episode series will showcase the experiences of the content creators in Cebu, Siargao, and Manila as they explore local attractions, culture, cuisine, and communities.

According to TikTok Philippines Head of Public Policy Yves Gonzalez, Wanderlust aims to brand the social media platform as a "discovery platform."

"So a lot of our tourists, whether local or regional tourists, they discovered where to go on the TikTok platform. Using this insight, we realized that let's do something where we can promote the best of the Philippines on culture, on food, on experiences," Gonzalez told reporters.

Gonzalez shared that Wanderlust offers "authentic" content, which is in demand among TikTok's audience.

"The beauty of TikTok is you really see real creators, real people with real experiences, and it's become the place where people do their research," he said.

"Hopefully, through this series, a lot of tourists will be inspired to discover more to love in the Philippines," he added.

Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said Wanderlust is part of the agency's response to the travel inflation in the country.

"What we did was to address the travel inflation by putting the entire ecosystem, meaning the airlines, the hotels, the resorts, so, you know, they're all there to come and agree to offer bundled packages," Angara-Mathay said.

"One size doesn't fit all. We want to come up with customized packages that are reasonable and affordable, and then they do provide the inspiration and we provide the economic transformation. You have the physical infrastructure and the digital platform people convert curiosity into actual bookings."

Wanderlust will premiere on TikTok starting June 30.

Following the tension in the Middle East that hampered fuel deliveries along the Strait of Hormuz, the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) said in April that it is already seeing weaker demand, particularly for flights, as travelers pull back on bookings.

“Wala kaming halos inquiries or planong umalis mga tao between June, July, August,” PTAA president Jaison Yang had said.

Yang added that higher fuel surcharges have pushed up airfare costs, making travel less affordable for many passengers.

No place for insults, abuses

According to Angara-Mathay, over three million visitors visited the country from January to June 2026. She also noted that visitors from South Korea, China, India, Australia, and Brazil are on the rise.

During the event, Angara-Mathay also warned tourists anew that insults and abuses have no place in the country.

"I don't like our locals being mistreated. We're very welcoming and hospitable people, [but] the minute you insult us, abuse our hospitality, that's where we draw the line," the Tourism Secretary said.

"So, whoever commits a crime or an offense would be dealt with appropriately," she added.

In May, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh stated, "The Embassy expects all Israeli citizens to respect local laws, regulations, and the communities they visit," amid the growing concerns of alleged misconduct among Israeli tourists in Siargao.

"We do not condone behavior that disrespects local laws or communities," Kursh said during a virtual meeting with more than 70 business owners in Siargao.

Concerns about misbehaving Israeli tourists in Siargao have started to go viral on social media. According to Belle Diesta, a resident of General Luna who was present at the virtual meeting, it was "after the war erupted in the Middle East — October 7, 2023 — when we started noticing the increase of incidents involving the demographic of Israeli young tourists." —CDC, GMA News