Philippines unveils First of its kind Drive Tourism

From January 29 to February 2, the first Asia Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show, to be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center in Zambales province. The conference will help to launch the market of the DOT’s Drive Tourism program in coordination with the AAP, which aims to combine the components of all tourism-oriented road and driving activities.

The five-day conference and expo is presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP), the National Auto Club and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. The conference will see the groundbreaking of the Subic Children’s Road Safety Park, which will serve as an educational platform to instill in children the culture of road safety and discipline.

Tourism Secretary, Ramon Jimenez Jr., said, “Drive Tourism is where participants move through a tourism highway or road network that allows them to see diverse attractions on the road and experience the local way of life, the pioneering event will include presentations on the latest innovations in the automobile industry, road safety, mobility, motorsports, and travel and tourism from both local and international specialists.”

The Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) has been holding caravans in different provinces to enhance domestic tourism and provide income opportunities to people in the countryside. Unlike seat-in-coach tours, Drive Tourism participants are allowed to tailor-fit their itineraries based on their preferences—culture and heritage, water sports or culinary adventure—for a complete travel experience, the tourism chief added.