Philippine tourism destinations are featured in six designs of the new T-shirt line by Russia’s largest apparel retailer, SELA.
The new clothing line called “Inspired by the Philippines” features Manila, Cebu, Bohol, and Siargao.
The Philippines-inspired shirts are now being sold in 400 SELA stores in 200 cities across Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirgistan, Ukraine and Belarus, and on the SELA online shopping website. The retail fashion advertising to promote Philippine tourism was made possible by the partnership of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and SELA, the largest fashion retailer in the Russian Federation and the Commonwealth of Independent states (CIS)
DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato, Jr., who represented the DOT at the Moscow launch of the Philippine T-shirt collection of SELA, explains that “the concept of using T-shirts as walking billboard advertising for the Philippines in a huge country like Russia came from Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. The six-piece fashion line consists of T-shirts for men, women, and children, and are complemented with Philippine-made fashion accessories, like bags, bracelets and fashion jewelry. The Russians are very fond of fashion. Using T-shirts for advertising Philippine tourism destinations is an effective way to establish the Philippine brand in the Russian market’s consciousness. It is a fast way for product awareness and name recall, particularly among the young travellers.”
According to DOT Director Verna Buensuceso, who handles the Russian market for DOT, “the average age of the Russian tourists to the Philippines is 36 years of age and most of them are professionals, who come with their spouses and children. They visit the Philippines for leisure and they prefer beach holidays, sightseeing, shopping, and scuba-diving as tourism activities. 80% of the time, it is the women who make the decision on the choice of holiday destination for the Russian family.”
