Representative from the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DoT) recently met with officials from the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) to discuss issues of mutual interests for the two countries, according to Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago.

“The delegation met with CSC National Tourism Committee chairman Mohammed Al-Mojel as part of the plan to encourage Saudis to visit the Philippines,” the Filipino envoy said.

The meeting came on the heels of a record 38,9969 Saudis who visited the Philippines last year, up 29.7 percent from 2013 and 104 percent from 2009. The average growth of arrival since 2009 has been at 19.8 percent.

Raymond Glenn Agustin, chief tourism operations officer at the DoT, headed the delegation, which included the DoT’s marketing representative for the Middle East, AVIAREPS, and Shangri-La Hotel’s Middle East representative.

Agustin and his colleagues informed Al-Mojel of the Filipino government’s increased efforts to attract a greater number of Saudi tourists to the island country through marketing campaigns and attractive tour packages with local travel agencies and airlines.

For his part, Al-Mojel urged the delegation to focus on promoting the Philippines as a family-oriented destination, with a preference for attractions in the provinces. He also expressed his “excitement about the intensified Philippine tourism promotion in Saudi Arabia,” and pledged that the RCCI will cooperate and assist the Philippines on its promotion efforts in Riyadh.

Earlier, the delegation participated in the 2014 Riyadh Travel Fair, which was held at the Kingdom Tower’s Four Seasons Hotel.

At the fair, the delegation met with Hussain bin Mushayt, tourism department manager of the Riyadh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and discussed DoT’s promotion plans in the Saudi capital and the Eastern Province.

The delegation also discussed the Philippines leading tourist destinations like Boracay, Palawan, Bohol’s Chocolate Hills and Panglao Island and Davao’s Pearl Farm.

In December 2013, DoT representatives came to the Kingdom to formally launch Philippine tourism in the Saudi capital.