PHILIPPINES TAKES CENTERSTAGE ON FRENCH TV

The limestone cliffs of El Nido provide a gorgeous backdrop to one of the obstacle courses for the contestants

23 July 2007—El Nido, Palawan , is at primetime French TV1’s’s top-rating summer hit show, Koh-Lanta. The French version of the American television show “Survivor”, Koh Lanta has 5 to 7 million viewers every Friday watch 16 contestants vie for a prize of 100,000 Euros.  

The contestants whose ages range from 16 to 55 years old, were selected from more than 25,000 applicants and include among others, a financial adviser, a retiree, a CEO, an agriculturist and a train conductor. They must survive 40 days on the island and go through adventure games, mental challenges and physically demanding tasks.

Now running on its third week, the show has generated mass interest in the Philippines as a tourist destination and has received glowing reviews about the beauty of Palawan . A magazine has referred to it as “un petit paradis sur Terre” (a mini-paradise on earth) what with its luxurious vegetation, crystalline waters and tropical climate.  According to Philippine Ambassador José Abeto Zaide, the Embassy already received an exponential increase of queries on Palawan and the Philippines as a whole from holidaymakers. “Television is a medium that is crucial to the promotion of Philippines  in French consciousness, and we are delighted that Palawan was chosen by the producers for this year’s edition of Koh Lanta as it showcases what the Philippines can offer”, added the Ambassador.

The limestone cliffs of El Nido provide a gorgeous backdrop to one of the obstacle courses for the contestants

Shot between February and March of this year, Koh Lanta was realized with the support of the Department of Tourism, through its representative for France Ms. Venus Tan, who coordinated with local companies and the local government, among them El Nido Resort, Seair and Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila . As an added incentive the show will raffle off a roundtrip ticket to the Philippines for two (2) at the end of its run. END

/jay

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