The Department of Tourism (DOT) and Rakuten Viber are teaming up to make finding and contacting accredited tourism businesses easier and safer for travelers in the Philippines.
The partnership will give DOT-accredited micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access to Viber Business Accounts, allowing them to communicate with potential customers through messaging and calls, share promotions, and make their services more accessible to travelers.
Tourism Secretary Maria Bernardita “Dita” Angara-Mathay and Rakuten Viber Senior Director for APAC David Tse formalized the collaboration through a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Under the agreement, Rakuten Viber will organize MSME Caravans at DOT Regional Offices to help accredited businesses set up free Viber Business Accounts. These accounts come with business pages, secure messaging and calling features, promotional tools, and Click-to-Chat QR codes that allow travelers to contact establishments directly. Onboarding assistance and training will also be provided free of charge.
The initiative aims to help travelers identify legitimate tourism businesses and avoid potential scams. It will also promote responsible travel practices and encourage consumers to verify establishments before sharing payment or personal information. Travelers can also access ChatGPT features within Viber to assist with trip planning.
“Our partnership with Viber is part of our efforts to make tourism-related MSMEs across the country more competitive and adaptive to modern-day tourism demands,” said Sec. Angara-Mathay. “Travelers should be able to find accredited establishments easily and with confidence.”
The DOT will connect Viber with local tourism stakeholders, provide campaign materials, and explore joint promotions and familiarization tours. Meanwhile, accredited MSMEs and DOT campaigns will receive monthly features on Viber channels.
The partnership comes as tourism remains a significant contributor to the Philippine economy. According to the Philippine Tourism Data Dashboard, the country welcomed 6.5 million international visitors in 2025, while the tourism sector contributed P2.27 trillion to the economy and supported 7.70 million jobs.
“Rakuten Viber is committed to supporting initiatives that help curb and prevent scams in the Philippines. We are honored to work with the Department of Tourism by providing digital tools that make it easier for travelers to find and communicate with accredited tourism businesses,” said Tse.
”Our ambition is not simply to connect more travellers with more destinations; it is to make every connection more trusted, every journey more reassuring, and every travel experience worth remembering,” he added.
