PJ Lhuillier, Inc. (PJLI) Chairman and Philippine Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic Philippe J. Lhuillier explored tourism opportunities with Federico Costa, President of Turismo de Portugal in Lisbon, Portugal during a courtesy call on January 24.
Turismo de Portugal is the National Tourism Authority of Portugal and is known to be the main tourism arm of the Portuguese Government responsible for the promotion, enhancement and sustainability of tourism activities.
Costa shared to the Ambassador the unique tourism system of Portugal which includes establishing tourism schools and training centers. He also conveyed his admiration of the Philippines’ tourism campaign slogan It’s more fun in the Philippines but admitted that there is much for the Portuguese to learn about the Philippines.
Ambassador Lhuillier discussed the potential of the Philippines as gateway for tourism promotion in the Southeast Asian region. Though he noted that the Philippines still has plenty of room for improvement, he believes that the country can project a better image of its culture and various tourism destinations through feature articles and advertisements.
Both Acosta and the Ambassador acknowledged the huge contribution of tourism in the economy of both countries. Costa expressed his gratitude for the Ambassador’s visit, noting that not all Ambassadors have done the same.
Since travelling to the Philippines has recently been made easier by the opening of new Emirates flights connecting Lisbon to Manila via Dubai, Ambassador Lhuillier hopes to capitalize on this development to further foster the Philippines’ tie with Portugal.