In partnership with the Department of Tourism, Philippines (DOT), the ICCRHC successfully launched its Long Stay Visitor Program in the first foreign country with a blast. The Program was introduced to the public at the main DOT information counter at MUBA 2009 and a got a very positive feedback.
MUBA is the largest and most prestigious consumer trade fair held annually, for ten days, in Basel, Switzerland. Every year, MUBA highlights a Guest Country in one huge pavilion at the exposition venue. The Guest Country presents its economy, major exports in products and services, tourism, culture and arts, among others, to the more than 300,000 visitors to the fair, most of which are Swiss, German, and French nationals.
The Philippines was the much-anticipated Guest Country for the year 2009, a significant opportunity for the country to present itself to Switzerland and to the rest of Europe.
The project is spearheaded by the DOT, with the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) as its implementing arm, and with parallel efforts from the private sector, through the Philippine-Swiss Business Council (PSBC) of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and Fairs & More, Incorporated (FMI) of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).
ICCRHC's activities attracted the attention of Swiss- tour operators and healthcare facilities out of which new partnerships between the ICCRHC and Switzerland will be created. The program also called the attention of Mr. Daniel Vogel, Consul General for Philippines to Switzerland who sees this as an excellent opportunity to create and sustain quality in the medical sector in the Philippines. He furthermore believes that the exchange of medical staff on which ICCRHC is currently working would be a win-win situation for all involved countries.
ICCRHC is now looking forward to the launch of the Long Stay Visitor Program at the ITB in Berlin from 11. - 15. March 2009. The ITB is the biggest Tourism trade fair in the world.
