DOT uses adventure reality shows to promote eco-tourism destinations

  
By Nancy R. Cudis

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is on the lookout for potential sites of international reality adventure shows.

The DOT plans to present these areas to producers of international reality adventure shows. Show producers want areas that are far from urban zones or cities but still have the facilities to accommodate a 200-member production crew.

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Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano admitted the DOT has yet to pick a new site.

He said Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur was the preferred location to shoot versions of reality TV series, Survivor.

“Caramoan is like an exclusive location for Survivor and there is no need for the local government unit to promote the island on its own,” he said.

The successful filming of the eighth season of Survivor Koh Lanta, the French version of the reality game show, in Caramoan has led other international producers to consider the Philippines a good site for adventure shows, noted Durano.

A previous season of Survivor Koh Lanta was filmed in El Nido in Palawan.

The DOT expects arrivals of tourists from Europe to increase as the French version of Survivor begins airing this month until September.

This year, the DOT is supporting five adventure reality shows with producers from Bulgaria, Israel, Turkey, Serbia and Sweden. Except for Sweden that is doing a different adventure reality show, the rest are Survivor versions that are filmed in Caramoan.

Every production lasts for about three months, during which the DOT provides transportation for the show’s crew.

Durano said media mileage, as well as the revenue potential of these shows for a local government unit (LGUs) where the filming was done, is huge. He cited Israel’s $7-
million budget for the production and use of location for the show.

Durano is urging LGUs to develop eco-tourism products, which are popular among foreign tourists.

The move to create more eco-tourism products is one of the current thrusts of the DOT.