Angkas partners with DOT for Vespa city tours

Filipino firm Angkas wants tourists and locals alike to experience Metro Manila’s vibrant and culture-rich cities on board a Vespa motorcycle a la “Emily in Paris.”

In partnership with the Department of Tourism-National Capital Region, the leading motorcycle taxi hailing app is pushing for a rolling tour that would showcase the best local hotspots in the metro with Angkas bikers as tour guides.

Angkas CEO George Royeca said motorcycle city tours would allow people to see, experience and appreciate a city in a different light.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. Touring on a motorcycle for me is very enriching. It’s like becoming one with your surroundings. You lose yourself in the sights and sounds. You get to feel the wind and smell the air. It’s one of those unforgettable experiences,” he said.

To ensure top-notch quality service, Angkas bikers and trainers will be undergoing the DOT’s Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) training designed to help bring out the Filipinos’ innate qualities that make Filipinos unique in the hospitality industry.

“We’re building strong collaborations with our private and public stakeholders and making sure all these kinds of extensions and assistance are given to them,” DOT-NCR regional director Sharlene Zabala said, adding that the partnership with Angkas is highly anticipated given how the transportation system is an essential component of tourism.

Angkas and DOT-NCR are looking at Intramuros, Binondo, Poblacion and BGC as pilot areas for the a la “Emily in Paris” motorcycle city tour.

The project will be launched with a few bikers first to explore and examine how the process can be further developed to achieve maximum customer satisfaction.

The DOT is also considering including the Angkas motorcycle city tour in its highly anticipated Hop On, Hop Off Bus Tours given how a number of roads and streets are only accessible to motorcycles.

Angkas, a homegrown Filipino firm, has been known to help promote Filipino culture, traditions and customs in its marketing strategies. According to Royeca, their thrust has always been to be a company for Filipinos by Filipinos.

Royeca is hoping the partnership with the DOT would help promote local tourism through safe, fast and reliable transportation.