Don't look now, but the Philippines is increasingly becoming one of the favorite hubs of the so called digital nomads (Travel Vloggers, Influencers etc.). The Department of Tourism should thank these travel vloggers for discovering the country's tourism potentials and telling the world that the country is safe to travel after all, and the D.O.T. doesn't have to spend millions of local taxpayer's money to pay for their lousy tourism campaign. Suffice it to say, these vloggers have contributed, in their own way, spreading positive vibes about the country, proving that it can compete with its neighbors' flourishing tourism industry.
The influx of foreign vloggers visiting the country has doubled during the past few years and many of them keep on coming back and some stay for good. One example is Kyle Jennerman, a Canadian traveler who's been living the country for about five years now. Kyle or "Kulas" as he is known to his followers, has probably visited more places in the country than any ordinary Filipino. Besides Kulas, there is also another star vlogger in the person of Finn Snow, a charming blue eyed traveler from Iceland. He is now based in Cebu and is involved in a local charity that helps abused young children. When asked by American Vlogger Bret Ponti how he decided to live in the Philippines, Snow says "I didn't plan to live here but I fell in love with the people and the nature and the culture of course.. so....Philippines chose me."
Young traveler Tyler Willams says :
"The Philippines was an experience I cannot put into words or honestly even a video. This is my attempt of showing off such a blessed country.
It has taken me over 30 countries to realize why I love and continue to travel. People, nature, and an escape from reality is the reason I won’t ever stop exploring our planet.
My trek to the Philippines was my third time in South East Asia this year. Social media does not hide the fact that this part of the world is a hidden gem. Once I looked past the blue water and white sand beaches I came to realize how truly amazing the locals are.Their hospitality was second to none. It is so hard for me to pick a favorite country. But I would say the Philippines takes the trophy. Every island has its own unique culture. And deeply rooted in all their cultures is their genuine care for life."
Foreign vloggers find the country irresistible and endearing, not only for its scenic spots, beautiful beaches and breathtaking landscape, but also for the genuine friendliness of the people that is deeply rooted in their culture and It easier to interact with the locals since there is no language barrier. It is also less touristy compared to its neighboring countries. Another factor is that Filipinos are known to be hard core social media users and they are easy to please and more importantly, they are generous subscribers, as such, foreign vloggers find the country a haven to boost their YouTube Channels. More often, vloggers celebrate their 1,000th or 10Kth subscribers in the country. There are millions of Filipinos working abroad and many of them turn to YouTube to watch travel vlogs about their country to cure their homesickness. We are talking about a country with a population of more than a hundred million where majority are good English speakers and the Philippines being an archipelago (with more than 7,000 islands) can be quite costly for the locals to explore their own country but thanks to the travel vloggers, they get to know more and see the beauty of their own country as chronicled by foreign travelers.
Many foreign vloggers collaborate with each other forming a special bond among themselves. Five vloggers from different countries formed a group calling themselves the "The Fighter Boys," exploring different places in the country, reaching as far as Basilan in southern Philippines. They are composed of 3 Canadians (Kulas, Mike and Bret), Finn Snow (from Iceland) and Daniel Marsh (who is half Pinoy-half Irish) and they are currently on their second collaboration exploring the Visayas region. The Fighter Boys have a large following and they are often mobbed by fans during their travels. Mike and Nelly of "Making It Happen Vlog" have collaborated with vloggers from UK (George and Lucy of "The Juicy Vlog") exploring the country together.
However, some travel vloggers calling themselves Influencers take advantage of the trend by contacting hotel owners as a way to get free food and accommodation, promising them international exposure by featuring their hotels in their vlogs and other social media platforms to boost sales. This was exactly the topic of a recent article by New York Times stating that there is a growing number of international travelers who introduce themselves as "Influencers" only to trick hotel owners in exchange of free accommodation. But, Gianluca Casaccia, co-owner of a beach club in Siargao Island, took a stand against "wannabe freeloaders" stating that their influence is not as good as cash.
In fairness, not all vloggers are the same and many vloggers worked hard for whatever they have achieved in their career as travelers. Kulas, Finn Snow, Bret Maverick, Mike (of Fearless and Far) and Bisayang Hilaw are all genuinely different. The underlying factor is their love for the Filipino culture that keeps them coming back and extend their stay in the country. Except for Mike, all the vloggers mentioned have been staying in the country for quite sometime now. Moreover, it is still quite a long way for the country to catch up with its neighbors in terms of tourist arrivals but it is showing signs that one day, it can be at par with its rivals in South East Asia.
