Taipei has become the Filipinos’ favorite destination since last year, with its “no-visa requirement.” Its Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said the number of visitors from the Philippines in 2018 grew 44 percent from 2017, the highest growth among other Southeast Asian countries. And to keep the momentum of the success of the Filipino market, Taipei City’s Department of Information and Tourism continues to invite visitors to come back again.
Last Friday, June 14, the city led a delegation of businessmen to hold a product launch event in Manila, with last year’s spokesperson for Taipei travel, Filipino YouTube star Mikey Bustos, was there to promote the city again.
In the event, he sang “Undiscovered Taipei” in a twist of traditional Taiwanese “seven-word tune” opera with rap. The fun and creative performance was expected to spark a new trend of the catchy song.
Yi-ting Liu, commissioner of Taipei City’s Department of Information and Tourism said the decision to invite Mikey Bustos again was because last year he wrote the lyrics for the song titled “My New Crushie,” which broke a record of a million views in major social networking websites. Many netizens expressed their interests to see a new video and their wish has been fulfilled this time.
Filipino tourists are encouraged to visit Taipei again and try something they have never experienced before.
“Here’s the deal!” Liu said at the launch event, “Feel free to share and forward the video as we’ll offer a free air ticket from the Philippines to Taiwan when the music video collects over 300,000 views.”
Besides the great news of the ticket giveaway, Filipino YouTube sensation Mikey Bustos, who dabbles as singer, actor, and YouTuber, also performed his latest song “I Showed My Parents Taipei” at the event. The song is catchy and is certainly having people dancing.
Bustos said, for making this new video, he visited many different locations that he didn’t see last year and sampled different foods.
“The most interesting part is in the Beitou Hot Spring, because there is a comfortable spring pool in the room. We also tasted tea served in a whisky glass in a hipster tea bar. It was a relaxing experience full of surprises. Also, we had a great time filming on Yangmingshan. The flower sea of hydrangea and Xiaoyukeng, a scenic part on the mountain, are absolutely stunning,” said Bustos.
In addition to the launch of the latest music video for Taipei travel, the Department of Information and Tourism gathered an army of Taipei’s popular businesses, showcasing Taipei’s authentic and classic dishes. These included Taipei’s bestselling breakfast shop Zhenfang’s Taiwanese-styled omelet and fresh milk tea combo, Taipei’s spicy hotpot chain Mantanghung’s Sichuan-styled beef dried noodle, Taipei’s must-buy souvenir BRAVO!BEAR mango shortcake by Taiwan’s leading pastry maker Kuo Yuan Ye, popular Jin Jin Dessert’s honey citronaiyu jelly and unique sugar and grass jelly and milk, one of Filipino’s favorite tea shops as well as Cha FOR TEA to go’s signature 913 pearl milk tea and honey green tea.
These offers are expected to bring Taiwanese flavors to the event-goers. Catering to the characteristics of the Philippine visitors, online travel experience provider Klook comes up with an exclusive Taipei experience set, including Taipei’s double-decker sightseeing bus and the trendiest hotels as those are highly inquired by Filipinos people in this launch event.
A new Taipei travel product promotion was also announced at the press conference for FIT travelers. There is a joint promotion between Taiwan’s Eva Air and Klook. For group travelers, Eva Air has collaborated with certain travel agencies to launch a super package, that starts at US$127 per person, available for sale in the Philippines as of today.
Other giveaways in limited quantities include a co-branded handmade soap gift box between Dachuns Soap and Taipei City or a Taipei travel pass (an exclusive EasyCard or a 4-hour ticket on Taipei’s double-decker sightseeing bus.) This promotion aims to offer Filipino visitors a super value experience from the moment they board the airplane until they finish the whole journey.
* * *
It will be a sentimental screening of LGBTQ film Rainbow’s Sunset for Filipino subscribers of The Filipino Channel (TFC) in the US for the remaining of the month. It will be shown as part of the channel’s celebration of Pride Month for the world’s LGBTQ.
As we all know, one of its lead stars, Eddie Garcia, continues to fight for his life after meeting an accident that resulted to a cervical fracture. Up until today since the accident last week he remains in coma.
The film won bit at the 52nd Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival in Texas, bagging a Special Jury Prize and the Gold Remi Award for Best Story Innovation for Eric Ramos and Best Actor shared by Garcia and fellow lead actor Tony Mabesa.
Rainbow’s Sunset is the story of Ramon (Eddie Garcia), an 84-year-old man who finally outs himself to his family when he sees the need to be with his cancer-stricken best friend and lover, Fredo (Tony Mabesa) in the final days of his life. Despite the opposition of their families, Ramon chooses to spend time with Fredo till his last days, holding on to their unconditional and undying love for each other The family drama, directed by Joel Lamangan, also stars and Gloria Romero as Sylvia, Tirso Cruz III, Aiko Melendez, Sunshine Dizon, and Max Collins.
Rainbow’s Sunset was also an official entry to the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival where it won several awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Gloria Romero, Best Screenplay, and many more.
