Department of Tourism
Seal of the Department of Tourism
Department of Tourism building in Rizal Park, Manila
Agency overview
Formed	May 11, 1973
Headquarters	Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila
Annual budget	P1.547 billion (2007)
Agency executive	Joseph Ace Durano, Secretary
Website
www.tourism.gov.ph

The Department of Tourism (DOT; Filipino: Kagawaran ng Turismo) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the regulation of the Philippine tourism industry and the promotion of the Philippines as a tourist destination.

Contents 1 History 2 Tourism projects 3 List of Secretaries of Tourism 4 External links

[edit] History

Started as a private initiative to promote the Philippines as a major travel destination, the Philippine Tourist & Travel Association was organized in 1950. In 1956, the Board of Travel and Tourist Industry was created by Philippine Congress. In 1973, President Ferdinand Marcos created the cabinet-level Ministry of Tourism (MOT), the agency Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and the Philippine Convention Bureau (PCB).

Then in 1986, under Executive Order Numbers 120 and 120-A signed by President Corazon Aquino, now the Department of Tourism was reorganized and the Philippine Convention Bureau was renamed as Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation. In 1998, the Department of Tourism was one of the main offices of the government responsible for the culmination of the centennial celebrations of Philippine Independence from Spain.

In 2002, the Department of Tourism initiated one of its most successful tourism promotion project, Visit Philippines 2003, under Secretary Richard J. Gordon.

[edit] Tourism projects

• Visit Islands Philippines 1994
• Miss Universe Beauty Pageant 1994
• Florikultura '98 - international horticulture exhibition
• Expo Pilipino 1998 - Philippine Centennial International Exposition
• 1998 Philippine Centennial Celebrations
• World Exposition 2002 Manila (cancelled due to financial problems of the government) [1]
• Visit Philippines 2003
• WOW (World Of Wonders) Philippines

[edit] List of Secretaries of Tourism

Name	Month and Year Started	Month and Year Ended
Jose Antonio Gonzales	March 1986	June 30, 1987
Rafael Alunan III	July 1, 1987	June 30, 1989
Narzalina Z. Lim	July 1, 1989	June 30, 1992
Vicente Carlos	July 1, 1992	1996
Evelyn B. Pantig (acting)	1996	1996
Guillermina T. Gabor	May 19, 1996	June 30, 1998
Gemma Cruz-Araneta	July 1, 1998	January 20, 2001
Richard J. Gordon	January 20, 2001	January 2004
Robert Dean Barbers (acting)	January 2004	February 2004
Roberto M. Pagdanganan	February 2004	September 2005
Joseph Ace H. Durano	September 2005	present

[edit] External links

• Department of Tourism website

v • d • e Executive Departments of the Philippines Agrarian Reform · Agriculture · Budget and Management · Education · Energy · Environment and Natural Resources · Finance · Foreign Affairs · Health · Interior and Local Government · Justice · Labor and Employment · National Defense · Public Works and Highways · Science and Technology · Social Welfare and Development · Tourism · Trade and Industry · Transportation and Communications Other cabinet-level government offices Executive · Information and Communications Technology · Poverty · Presidential Management · Press · Socio-Economic Planning · Vice-President · Youth Affairs

This Philippines-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e