The Department of Tourism (DOT) has tapped Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee to become the country’s newest tourism ambassador.

The announcement was made during Dee’s courtesy call on Tourism chief Christina Frasco at the DOT office in Makati City on Friday.

In an interview, Dee tacitly accepted the role and conveyed her intention to promote lesser known destinations across the Philippines.

“It’s no secret that I’ve always been proud to call the Philippines my home. And I really wanted that to shine on the Miss Universe stage. I was able to showcase my advocacy, my creativity, and, of course, love for the tourism of the country,” she said.

“We will be touring around the Philippines really to spread that goal and that passion to really make the universe know about what the tourism in the Philippines has to offer,” she added.

During the short courtesy call, Frasco invited Dee to visit Western Visayas and join DOT’s landmark project, the Philippine Experience.

She also thanked Dee for bannering the Love the Philippines tourism campaign.

“I was tagged so many times by so many Filipinos who are so happy to see you literally carry upon your shoulders your love for the Philippines. And you have manifested this so well in how you have presented yourself, how you have carried yourself with such elegance and grace,” she said.

“(Becoming a tourism ambassador) is not new, because you have already acted as our tourism ambassador through your representation of the country in Miss Universe,” she added.

Dee was among the top ten finalists in the recent Miss Universe pageant held in El Salvador. (PNA)