The Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched a program that allows people to travel to Philippine destinations virtually complete with the natural sounds of the places.
The project, called the “ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) Experience the Philippines,” brings travelers ASMR videos that would allow them to tune into nature and be fully present in the moment.
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology defines ASMR as a “special perceptual phenomenon in which some people can experience a tingling, static-like sensation in response to some certain auditory or visual stimulations.”
It brings a pleasant feeling that one experiences in response to certain sounds, visuals, feelings, or descriptions. The sensation leads to contentment and relaxation.
The first video posted on DOT Philippines’ Youtube channel is an ASMR tour of the Mountain Province in the Cordillera region. The travel takes the viewers on a virtual trek of the mountain beginning from Barangay Macalana.
The 360-degree immersive sound video promises an experience that puts the viewer right at the center of the action, letting them hear the vivid sounds of a gushing river, a trickle of water, and even thuds of footsteps.
Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said the DOT project is “anchored on the concept that when people travel, they go ‘sightseeing,’ but it is with their ears that they hear and sense things all around them. Through these videos, people get to share with the travel experience,”
Four initial ASMR videos will shortly be streamed on DOT’s page, featuring several areas in the Mountain Province, including a journey to the summit of Mt. Amuyao.
“With Mountain Province currently under Alert Level 4, and the rest of the country under the observation of different alert level restrictions, these videos will allow viewers to experience the grandeur of Mountain Province no matter where they are, through their video devices,” the DOT said.
The succeeding batches of video series will explore destinations in the Ilocos region, the rest of Luzon and enticing destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao.