Marcos names Vanessa Hudgens as Global Tourism Ambassador

GLOBAL TOURISM ENVOY. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. greets Filipino-American actress Vanessa Anne Hudgens during her courtesy call at Malacañan Palace on Thursday (March 30, 2023). Marcos conferred the title of Global Tourism Ambassador on Hudgens to promote Philippine tourism. (Photo courtesy of Office of the President FB page)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday conferred the title of Global Tourism Ambassador on actress and digital influencer Filipino-American Vanessa Anne Hudgens in a bid to promote Philippine tourism and raise the country’s global status.

The conferment was witnessed by several government officials, including Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco, during Hudgen’s courtesy call with President Marcos at Malacañan Palace.

As a Global Tourism Ambassador, Hudgens will take part in a range of future initiatives to promote the Philippines’ unique culture and assist the country in reaching a wider global audience, creating awareness and conveying the Philippine brand as a tourist destination.

One of the initiatives to be led by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications (OPACC) and DOT is a documentary project highlighting Hudgens’ homecoming to the Philippines, intending to reconnect the Fil-Am actress with her roots and at the same time promote the country’s tourism industry.

Among the historical landmarks to be featured in the documentary project are Intramuros and the National Museum in Manila and El Nido in Palawan.

Hudgens has been designated the honorary title given her huge following on Instagram (49 million), Twitter (6.5 million), Facebook (17 million) and YouTube (239,000).

This is part of the branding campaign and marketing strategy of the OPACC and DOT aimed at attracting international tourists and pushing for the resurgence of the Philippines as a travel destination.

After the awarding, President Marcos told Hudgens that Malacañan Palace has held in its walls “a lot of history for the Philippines.”

“Beyond that, it has a lot of history for me. I lived here 20 years and now I’ve come back to live here again,” Marcos said.

Hudgens made her film debut in the movie Thirteen (2003) and rose to prominence as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series (2006-2008), resulting in significant mainstream media success, including her signing with Hollywood Records.