Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) bags Best Marketing and Relationship Effort 2015 award

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The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), bagged the Best Marketing and Relationship Effort during the 26th Annual TTG Travel Awards 2015. This prestigious award is given to the organization that demonstrates outstanding, exemplary and inspirational marketing and relationship-building efforts in the travel trade industryin the Asia-Pacific region.

Organized by the Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) Asia, the TTG Travel Awards is the most prestigious annual travel industry awards in Asia-Pacific. It recognizes the best organisations and individuals for their achievements and contributions in four categories: Travel Supplier, Travel Agency, Outstanding Achievement, and Travel Hall of Fame. This year, all winners were honored at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner in Bangkok, Thailand last October 1, 2015.

“It is a great honor to receive the Best Marketing and Relationship Effort Award from TTG Travel Awards. This recognition will definitely inspire us to work harder in promoting the country’s international profile for years to come. We would not be able to achieve this without the support of various stakeholders in the travel trade industry. This award is also for everyone who makes the Philippines one of the best tourist spots and vacation destinations in the world,” says TPB COO Domingo Ramon Enerio III.

TPB spearheads Visit the Philippines Year (VPY) 2015, a year-long campaign that highlights exciting and major events in the country that attract international tourists from all over the world, from music, arts and entertainment shows; lifestyle, sports, adventure and ecotourism activities; and business, historical and cultural showcases.

Since the launch of VPY 2015, the country has registered a total of 3.11 million international visitors from January to July 2015 alone. The country has also earned 130.2billion pesos in tourism earnings for the same period.

While continuing to forefront and support international events that attract foreign visitors this year, TPB is also gearing up for more fun and exciting tourism campaigns next year with the recent launching of its newest campaign, “Visit the Philippines Again 2016.” 

Offering more fun that keeps foreign travellers coming back for more, VPA 2016 will treat returning tourists to new rip-roaring and top-notch attractions, spectacular travel destinations and world-class events that will make their stay in the country worthwhile and productive. The line-up includes the Asean Tourism Forum 2016, Routes Asia 2016, Madrid Fusión Manila 2016, Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship 2016, and the MTV Music Evolution 2016. Returning visitors will also be given exclusive travel deals and special incentives discounts on flights, hotel accommodations and tour packages after simply presenting proof of previous visits.

“We are committed to promoting and upholding the boom in the inbound tourism industry by constantly making effective campaigns. Our upcoming promotions will not only make foreigners choose to visit the Philippines over other destinations in the world but will also make them want to come back to the country over and over again,” says Enerio. 

UNIQLO special collections - DISNEY Magic for All, Ines De La Fressange, and LEMAIRE at selected large stores

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Shop UNIQLO for the latest collection for women, men, kids and babies. Clothing with innovation and real value, engineered to enhance your life every day.

UNIQLO offers its special collection only in its large stores in Metro Manila – SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Aura and SM Mall of Asia. These branches have the widest and most complete selection of apparels for women, men, kids and babies. 

The stores carry limited-edition pieces from international brands and designer collaborations such as DISNEY Magic for All, Ines De La Fressange, and UNIQLO’s most recent partnership with French fashion designer Christophe Lemaire.

UNIQLO and LEMAIRE 

The UNIQLO and LEMAIRE collection represents products that embody the LifeWear concept – simple made better – that is shared by both brands. Every item combines elegance with moderate relaxation and comfort, for modern and advanced wardrobe mainstays.

The much-anticipated collaboration showcases UNIQLO’s high quality materials at a perfect price. Sophisticated yet accessible, it offers a timeless color palette of greens, navies, whites, and reds. The men’s and women’s collections will be available in SM Megamall and SM Aura, two out of UNIQLO’s four large stores starting October 2 until the end of Fall Winter 2015. 

UNIQLO and Ines De La Fressange Paris

In 2013, former fashion model and muse of designer Karl Lagerfeld, Ines De La Fressange re-launched her own brand, INES DE LA FRESSANGE PARIS, a luxury lifestyle brand that includes a wide range of products to create a truly Parisian style, from ready-to-wear apparel to interior decorations.

Forward to 2015, Ines combined her interest in UNIQLO’s LifeWear with her unique sense of style, based on refined feminine beauty and authentic quality. The UNIQLO and INES DE LA FRESSANGE 2015 Collection Fall and Winter Collaboration employs wool and other natural fabrics in a variety of styles and colors. Ines’ jackets for this season retain traditional tailoring, while offering the modern comforts that women want. 

Disney MAGIC FOR ALL Collection 

The MAGIC FOR ALL 2015 Fall Winter collection offers a wide range of products from Ultra-Light Down, fleece, flannel shirts, and UTs, to plush toys, umbrellas, room slippers and more. The collection features Walt Disney’s beloved characters such as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, as well as popular characters from Star Wars, Disney Pixar, Toy Story, Marvel’s Avengers and Frozen. 

Technology Talk: Kakao Talk Launches Open Chat, a New Chat Feature that Allows Users to Begin Chatting with the Click of a Link

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KakaoTalk users share diverse content and information including photos, videos, voice messages, location, URL links as well as contact information.

Kakao Philippines Corp. has announced the launch of Open Chat, a Kakao Talk feature that allows users to chat with others at the click of a link. All chat rooms in Open Chat have designated URLs, which users can share on social media and other websites.

Any Kakao Talk user can enter the chat room without providing their mobile phone numbers or Kakao Talk IDs.

Group chats are then easier to start because users who have the link can join the conversation; no need to add people one by one.

Human relationships offline are not equal. There are mutual friends whom users are comfortable sharing their mobile numbers or profiles with, and then there are complete strangers. Kakao provides a middle level of interaction with this new feature. Open Chat connects users through links; as opposed to regular chats, which require the exchange of phone numbers. Open Chat allows users to have more control over their friends list and gives them a secure alternative: to chat with whomever they need without having to divulge personal information.

Kakao Talk users have continuously requested for “easier and more convenient ways to chat with new friends” and “ways to limit or control who [they] reveal [their] profiles to.” Open Chat was introduced to address these issues.

The new feature is intended for those who are seeking fast and convenient ways of communication. People with the same interests can also converse with each other on Open Chat through links posted on social media and other websites. Students, in particular, can use it for group work in classes, extracurricular activities, study sessions, and more. They can also share an Open Chat link at online marketplaces instead of exposing personal information, such as phone numbers and IDs, when selling or purchasing second-hand items.

Open Chat can also serve as an interactive comment section for news providers, bloggers, and readers to discuss an article or blog entry without giving out personal details.

News providers and bloggers only need to add an Open Chat link at the end of the post.

Open Chats can be created by pressing on the floating ‘+’ button on the Chats tab and selecting ‘Open Chat.’ The host can then input his or her chat identity and set up a chat room. The host can choose a type of chat (1:1 chat or group chat), select a background photo, and simply press ‘OK.’ The Open Chat link will then be live and ready to go.

Open Chat can accommodate up to 500 users in a single chat room. The chat room’s host can designate the maximum number of users that can participate in any given Open Chat. 

"Open Chat makes it easy to begin conversations with people who are not on each other’s KakaoTalk friends lists. It also alleviates users’ concerns about exposing their personal details on messenger services,” explained Paolo Pineda, CEO of Kakao Philippines Corp.

"The real value of this feature is that it provides our users with privacy and control over their friends list, while connecting with other people."

Kakao Talk’s Open Chat feature will be available to Filipino users starting October 11th, on both iOS and Android. Users can also enjoy Kakao Talk’s other features like Secret Group Chat and Star Chat.

For more information, please visit facebook.com/kakaotalkph.

Kakao Corp.

Kakao Corp is a global mobile lifestyle platform company with services spanning messaging, mail, search, news, advertising, gaming, e-commerce, music, maps and more. Based in South Korea, Kakao reaches consumers, businesses and others via its portfolio of popular assets: KakaoTalk, KakaoGame, Daum Mail and Daum Cafe, among others. In line with the vision to “Connect Everything” Kakao plans to center its focus on creating an environment of real-time interconnectivity, thereby enriching lives and delivering value to consumers, businesses, partners and shareholders alike. Kakao is committed to building new experiences by harnessing its successful 20-year legacy of innovation as an Internet and mobile services leader. More information is available at www.kakao.com

Kakao Philippines Corp. is a new company in the Philippines owned by Kakao Corp. and ABS-CBN. The company's main objective is the proliferation of its messaging service and launching new mobile services in the Philippines and SEA.

Globe Telecom brings Chromecast to Ph

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Globe Telecom brings the entertainment experience to a whole new level as it brings Chromecast to the Philippines to offer Filipinos a new way to stream their favorite entertainment content at home.

Dan Horan

“We are excited to be working closely with Google to bring Chromecast to Filipinos who are huge fans of everything entertainment: from movies, TV shows, games, sports, to photos and videos. With Chromecast, our customers get instant access to quality entertainment experience at home as they get to see their favorite content and apps from the small screen to the big screen. Offering Chromecast supports our commitment to enable the Filipino digital lifestyle further as we provide our customers a platform to enjoy entertainment at the comfort of one’s home,” says Dan Horan, Senior Advisor for Consumer Business at Globe.

Chromecast is a thumb-sized media streaming device that plugs into the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port of one’s television set at home. With Chromecast, customers can cast their smartphone, tablet, or laptop to a bigger screen for a better and more inclusive viewing experience. Chromecast can also be used as a remote control for TV, set-up a party at home with the TV set as instant DJ or VJ, enjoy family game-time with smartphones as controllers, watch shows that only selected users can hear, and view Chromecast-ready apps.

Chromecast is compatible with Android devices, tablets, iPhones, iPads, Macs or Windows laptops or Chromebooks, allowing users to cast their favorite entertainment and apps to the big screen. To use Chromecast, customers can plug in the device to an HDMI TV and a power source, download the app on a smartphone device, tablet, or laptop, authenticate the code, and click the cast icon on their apps to view content on TV.

Filipinos can enjoy the following apps which are Chromecast-ready:

• TV and Movies: HOOQ, CrunchyRoll, Stream2Cast, AllCast, Flixster, Dailymotion, Viki, SkyOnline and more.

• Games: Just Dance Now, Monopoly Dash, Wheel of Fortune, Rube, Catch Phrase Blitz, FitFlap, Scrabble Blitz, Alien Invaders, Big Web Quiz and more.

• Sports: NBA App, MLB, Red Bull TV and more.

• Photos and Videos: YouTube, Chrome, Piccastr, BubbleUPnP, Pixlr, Lyve, Avia, Picture Cast, DayFrame and more.

The telco’s global content partners are also Chromecast-ready, allowing customers to enjoy thousands of movies and TV series on HOOQ, watch live and on-demand NBA games via the NBA League Pass, and stream music and video content on YouTube.

Soon, Globe customers can get the Chromecast for free starting at Globe Home Broadband Plan 1299 with free access to HOOQ as well as across all Home Broadband Plans with free access to HOOQ and Spotify or the NBA League Pass.

Meanwhile, Platinum Home Broadband customers can avail of the Chromecast for free starting at Plan 3749 to Plan 9999 with free access to HOOQ, Spotify, and the NBA League Pass.

Visit www.globe.com.ph/chromecast to know more about the offers.

Photo: Arts&Travel Magazine 

#QC75 Diamond Jubillee Celebration; A visit at the Quezon Heritage House

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The most populous city in the Metro Manila, National Capitol Region in the Philippines, Quezon City, also called QC celebrates this month of October its 75 Diamond Jubillee Anniversary.

Quezon City was named after Manuel L. Quezon, the second official President of the Philippines and the first of an internationally recognized independent Philippines.

Rich with heritage, one of the city’s most famous landmark is the Quezon Memorial Circle, a national park and a national shrine located in Quezon City, which became the capital of the Philippines from 1948 to 1976. The park is located inside a large traffic circle in the shape of an ellipse and bounded by the Elliptical Road.

At the center is the Quezon Memorial Shrine, a 66-meter mausoleum that houses the remains of President Manuel Quezon and his wife, the First Lady Dona Aurora Quezon. 

And inside the Circle is the Quezon Heritage House, where bloggers and guests enjoyed a visit and tour the replica of Manuel Quezon’s house last Thursday, October 1. 

https://instagram.com/msmyrnz/

With excitements, we also had a photo shoot with collaboration of Project Headshot Clinic. I’m gladly to be reunited with Niccolo Cosme, founder of HSC and a celebrity and fashion photographer. "Project Headshot Clinic", a digital concept that merges profile photos used online with advertisement and/or advocacies. This is my 4th time to have my personal tribute to Headshot’s greatest inspirations. 

Thanks organizer, Sir Anton and MsEarth Rullan for a historical and an educational tour to Quezon Heritage House, also known as the Quezon family’s Weekend House. It used to be situated in No. 45 Gilmore Street in New Manila, until it was transferred to the QC Memorial Circle. 

The Quezon Heritage House is open to the public from Tuesdays thru Sundays, 9 am to 4pm.

Quezon City is also well known as an entertainment capital, a shopping destination, a health and wellness center, many places of government operations and media houses, like ABS-CBN, GMA 7, UNTV, Ch. 13, Ch 9, Ch 4 and TV5.

For its 75th anniversary this year, the QC government prepared a set of activities designed to pay tribute to the monumental figures and events that served as its foundation. Each of these culminating activities are scheduled on October 10 and 11, 2015 and has been crafted to leave a mark on the city’s 75 years of cityhood.

To mark 75th anniversary with parades, concerts, dances, food festivals, and more to welcome to coming year with positive vibes and shrill momentum.

Everyone will be treated to a night of music, performances, food, and fireworks as they countdown to the city’s anniversary. Simultaneously, there will be a city-wide medical mission, job fairs, fun run, Senior Citizens' Program, Sports Exhibition by the PSC, Skateboard Competition, Volleyball Tournament, Rock Concert, Martsa ng Musiko, among others.

Happy 75th Anniversary Quezon City! 

Photos: Arts & Travel Magazine