Today, with the support of the Department of Tourism, Google announced that the first Street View imagery of the Philippines is now live on Google Maps. This new imagery allows anyone with an Internet connection to view 360-degree panoramas of well over 30 major metropolitan areas in the Philippines including Greater Manila and Baguio, over 30 historic locations like the Historic Town of Vigan and the Baroque Churches of the Philippines UNESCO World Heritage sites and favorite destinations like Mount Pulag and the beautiful beaches of Bantigui Island.
With these street-level panoramas, Filipinos can now check out new views of familiar and unfamiliar landscapes, research driving routes, arrange meeting points, and explore their own town more closely. Filipino businesses can also benefit from Street View technology by embedding Google Maps directly into their site. Hotels, for example, can easily show their prospective guests what the building looks like from the street and provide them with a sense of the surrounding neighborhood.
This new rich 360-degree digital imagery of the Philippines will also let people around the world experience sites they may never have a chance to experience in person, including iconic locations and vistas across the country.
“By allowing users to see a glimpse of the Philippines from wherever they are, we hope that Google Street View will inspire new visits from people who have not yet experienced the beauty of the country for themselves. And for those who have already been to the Philippines, we hope that this will give them new reasons to explore areas they may not have considered before, encouraging them to visit the Philippines again,” said Department of Tourism Secretary, Ramon Jimenez.
“We’re very excited to be unveiling these new 360-degree panoramas of the Philippines today. This new Street View imagery showcases how countries are embracing online tools such as Google Maps as mediums for preserving their heritage and landscapes. With these images, Filipinos and visitors alike can now explore the beauty of the Philippines and share these with their friends and family at home and abroad,” said Ken Lingan, Country Manager, Google Philippines.
“I’m happy that I can share the beauty of my hometown and province to the world through Street View. Not many people know that we have a lot of eco-tourism wonders in Sarangani and one of the biggest fish ports in the country in General Santos City, that was the venue of the largest display of tuna, now an Official Guinness World Record. Now, they can take a look and plan their next visit. Through this, people can also virtually tour my farm, my beach resorts, or take a glimpse of the Wildcard Gym, where I have fond memories as a boxer,” said Manny Pacquiao, representative of the lone district of Sarangani and the keynote at the launch event.
For more information about Street View and how it can be used for recreational purposes and by businesses, please visit: www.google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/.