DOT, TikTok ink deal to hold workshops for tourism MSMEs

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and social media app TikTok on Tuesday signed a deal to hold workshops for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism sector to help them boost their businesses and enhance their digital marketing skills in using the social media platform.

“Content Camp: Level Up with TikTok” aims to help MSMEs promote their products and services on TikTok by teaching them content creation, best practices for using the platform’s live feature, and effective advertising.

“So, it’s about really empowering them with digital skills to allow them to level up,” Yves Gonzalez, TikTok Philippines policy head, told reporters.

The DOT will be responsible for inviting the MSMEs that will take part in the TikTok workshop.

“Through our regional offices, we are able to identify and target the specific tourism MSMEs that we feel are very interested in availing of this partnership [and] could also use the help in terms of expanding their business,” DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said.

For the workshop’s pilot run, the DOT and TikTok are targeting to teach 50 MSMEs in Metro Manila and Cebu, which was recently hit by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

The pilot will begin in November with a one-day workshop, but Gonzalez said the DOT and TikTok are aiming for a nationwide rollout through a hybrid setup.

They also aim to conduct the workshop in various small hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agencies, and tourism groups.

MSMEs are expected to increase their revenue, expand market reach and penetration, and convert online engagement into actual tourist arrivals and business growth through the TikTok workshop.

MSMEs interested in joining the workshop must be accredited by the DOT.  They can also coordinate with the agency’s regional offices to be registered in the program. — JMA, GMA Integrated News