Instead of producing a run-of-the-mill tourism video with
awe-inspiring shots of exotic locales and attractions, the Philippines
did something entirely different. The tourism promotion board simply got
people to physically use their human forms to create spectacular
imagery of its attractions.
Launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) on 4 June, this new
digital advertisement aims to showcase the people behind the tourism
scene. It is aptly titled “The People Make the Destination”.
“For years, we have shone the spotlight on the country’s stunning
beaches and landscapes, its marvellous heritage sites and natural
attractions,” the video description reads on Tourism Philippines’
YouTube channel. “As tourism begins to pick up anew, we recognise the
people who have always made our destinations more memorable and more fun
— our tourism workers.”
Hundreds of dancers in the video moved in perfect choreography to
form optical illusions of Philippines’ popular sights such as rolling
rice fields, an eagle, a cascading waterfall with lush foliage flanking a
rushing river, and a surfer cresting on undulating waves.
These vivid scenes have been paired with relevant sounds recorded
from across 23 locations in the Philippines, from crashing waves in
Samar to mountain hikes in the Cordilleras, T’boli instruments from
South Cotobato and the drumming of Dakila Garcia, La Union’s best
percussionist.