MANILA - The Department of Tourism will launch an improved slogan this month, in time for the country's hosting of the Miss Universe 2016 pageant.

"Our slogan will be out by the 24th (of January)," Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo told DZMM.

Teo said they were supposed to change the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" slogan, but decided not to after receiving feedback that it was successful in other country.

"When I was in Paris, I met the secretary-general of UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organization) and he said, will you change the slogan? I said yes, because before I was thinking of changing, but he said, you know, you know, you should not change but level it up," she explained.

"When you say beaches, lahat mayroong beaches. Nature, lahat meron. Shopping, everybody. But the Filipino people, it’s the people you are selling. It’s the hospitality, it’s the character of your country. ‘Yun ‘yung selling point ninyo, focus on that," Teo added.

The new tourism campaign will focus more on the Filipino people, answering the question "why is it more fun in the Philippines?".

"It will be a story wherein we will feature the trait of the Filipino people and it will answer why is it more fun in the Philippines?" Teo said.

According to Teo, the agency is in talks with local airlines and hotels to address issues such as expensive airfare and hotel rates.

"Medyo mahal ang sa atin. Isa sa mga concerns nila 'yung mataas ang rates ng ating mga hotels, atsaka flights," she said.

Tourism Undersecretary Kat de Castro said she will push for sports tourism, focusing on water sports and golf.

"I will push for sports na hindi natin nakikita sa ibang bansa," she said.

DOT announced earlier that it is spending P650 million to revise and "upscale" the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign in 2017 as the catchy slogan "did not generate tourist arrivals."