MANILA, June 1 -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have broken traditional promotion molds to secure critical infrastructure commitments from Japan's top business leaders.

In a news release on Monday, the DOT said Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay conceptualized an initiative that bridges the gap between tourism promotion and heavy economic development.

The high-level roundtable, held during the State Visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Japan, resulted in PHP209.8 billion (approximately USD3.4 billion) in combined direct investments, pipeline opportunities and financial credit pledged by Japanese conglomerates to fortify the country's economic and tourism ecosystem.

"Tourism t...