The Department of Tourism (DoT) on Monday clarified that its newly launched “Discover More to Love” initiative is not replacing the country’s official tourism slogan, “Love the Philippines.”

Speaking to reporters after the launch of Wanderlust Week, a collaboration between TikTok and the DoT, Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay emphasized that the initiative is intended to complement, not replace, the existing tourism brand.

“So it’s not a change,” Angara-Mathay said when asked if the new campaign would supplant “Love the Philippines.”

The clarification came days after the DoT formally launched “Discover More to Love,” a digital platform that aggregates discounted travel offers, accommodations, transportation options, and tourism activities from accredited industry partners.

The campaign, unveiled Friday, features more than 3,000 travel deals and promotions from participating tourism enterprises, including discounts of up to 70 percent on selected offerings.

At the launch, Angara-Mathay underscored that the initiative complements the country’s existing tourism branding campaign.

“Love the Philippines is still our national tourism brand. Discover More to Love is a domestic tourism campaign under the same brand,” she said.

The tourism chief said the initiative aims to boost domestic travel by encouraging Filipinos to explore destinations they have yet to visit while making travel planning easier, more affordable, and more reliable.

“We already love the Philippines as Filipinos. The idea is to discover the places you have not been to so you will have pride in where you are,” she said.

Angara-Mathay said the campaign seeks to encourage travelers to explore lesser known destinations and rediscover familiar places.

“Discover More to Love recognizes that not all Filipinos have seen everything the country has to offer,” she said.

“So every day, you come across new gems, new places, and new destinations. Even if you’ve visited a place before, returning to it can give you a different feeling, create new memories, and offer a different experience,” she added.

Developed by the agency’s in-house team at no additional cost to the government, the platform serves as a centralized hub where travelers can browse destinations, accommodations, flights, and tourism-related activities.

“The DoT will promote destinations, provide tourism information, and connect travelers with accredited tourism enterprises. We will not be involved in booking trips or selling travel packages. That is the role of the private sector,” Angara-Mathay said.

The tourism chief also addressed concerns that domestic travel often costs more than traveling abroad, saying the platform’s bundled offerings are intended to help travelers save money.

“It’s a matter of economies of scale. When travel components are bundled together, they become more affordable than if travelers arrange transportation and other services on their own,” she said.

“The idea behind bundling is to provide an all-in-one package, with a single provider offering a unified price,” she added.

The DoT said domestic tourism remains a major economic driver, supporting about 7.7 million jobs and generating an estimated P3 trillion in revenue in 2025, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data.

Angara-Mathay also disclosed the DoT is preparing to unveil two new tourism ambassadors later this week, but declined to identify them.