MANILA, Philippines — Hotels, restaurants, resorts and other tourism establishments could soon get some relief from music licensing costs after the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced a partnership aimed at securing discounted music-use rates for DOT-accredited tourism businesses.
The initiative is designed to help tourism enterprises legally use music in their establishments while reducing operating costs and supporting the country’s wider creative and tourism industries.
The DOT announced the development on September 7, saying accredited tourism establishments will soon be able to access discounted rates for music use.
What the new deal means for tourism businesses
Music is a major part of the customer experience in hotels, restaurants, bars, resorts and other tourism establishments—but businesses generally need appropriate licenses when copyrighted music is publicly used.
The new arrangement seeks to make those licensing costs more manageable for businesses that are officially accredited by the DOT.
That distinction matters: the discount is not being presented as a blanket exemption from copyright or music-licensing obligations.
Instead, the program is intended to provide preferential rates to eligible tourism establishments while ensuring that creators and copyright holders continue to receive royalties for the use of their works.
Why music licensing matters
Businesses cannot simply assume that playing commercially released music in a public or commercial setting is automatically free.
Music licensing organizations collect fees for the public use of copyrighted musical works and distribute royalties to composers, lyricists, publishers and other rights holders.
The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (FILSCAP), for example, maintains different licensing rates depending on the type of establishment and how music is used.
Its published rate schedules cover establishments including restaurants, hotels, music lounges, bars, dance venues and KTVs.
FILSCAP’s current published schedules also distinguish between Metro Manila and provincial rates, reflecting differences in licensing categories and locations.
The discount could matter most to small businesses
For large hotel chains and entertainment venues, music licensing may represent only one component of operating expenses.
For smaller restaurants, cafés, resorts and tourism enterprises, however, every recurring cost can affect profitability.
The DOT’s initiative could therefore provide particular relief to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that rely on music to create an atmosphere for customers.
That fits into Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay’s broader strategy of treating tourism as an interconnected ecosystem involving enterprises, investment, infrastructure, supply chains and local communities.
Accreditation remains important
The program also puts renewed attention on DOT accreditation.
The DOT operates an online accreditation portal through which tourism enterprises can apply, submit supporting documents and monitor their accreditation status.
The agency has repeatedly encouraged travelers to transact with accredited tourism businesses because accreditation provides a mechanism for establishing whether an enterprise meets the department’s requirements.
In March, for example, DOT-Bicol urged travelers to use accredited operators and service providers, citing safety and service-quality considerations.
The new music initiative gives businesses another potential incentive to maintain or secure their DOT accreditation.
It comes as DOT pushes stronger support for tourism enterprises
The announcement comes as the tourism department steps up programs designed to make tourism more competitive and accessible.
Earlier this year, the DOT launched “Discover More to Love,” a domestic tourism campaign featuring curated and discounted travel offerings from hotels, tour operators, airlines and other tourism partners.
The agency has also partnered with digital travel platform Klook and Newport World Resorts to develop domestic and entertainment tourism packages, with an emphasis on making tourism experiences more visible and bookable.
That broader strategy reflects the DOT’s effort to strengthen domestic tourism while giving local tourism enterprises more opportunities to participate in the tourism economy.
Music and tourism are increasingly connected
The latest initiative also highlights an increasingly important connection between the creative economy and tourism.
Music can influence how visitors experience a destination—from live performances and cultural productions to background music in restaurants, hotels and resorts.
The DOT recently partnered with Newport World Resorts specifically to promote entertainment tourism, including live performances, cultural productions and other leisure experiences. The department said the partnership aims to encourage longer stays, increase visitor spending and support Filipino talent and the creative economy.
That makes the new music-licensing initiative part of a bigger effort to integrate entertainment and creative industries into the country’s tourism offering.
Businesses should not confuse discounts with exemption
One point deserves emphasis: discounted rates do not mean tourism businesses can simply play copyrighted music without authorization.
FILSCAP’s published licensing schedules state that establishments using music within its repertoire are subject to licensing fees, with additional rules applying depending on the type of use. Its published schedules also provide for penalties when copyrighted works are used before the required license is secured.
The new DOT initiative should therefore be viewed as a potential cost-saving mechanism for eligible accredited businesses—not a waiver of copyright obligations.
The exact discounted rates, participating establishments, implementation timeline and application procedures should be confirmed once the implementing details of the agreement are formally released.
A potential win for both tourism and Filipino creators
For tourism businesses, lower licensing costs could mean reduced overhead.
For the music industry, a more accessible licensing system could encourage more businesses to operate legally and ensure that creators continue receiving royalties when their work is commercially used.
And for tourists, the result could be more vibrant hotels, restaurants, resorts and entertainment venues where music remains part of the overall visitor experience.
The bigger question now is how much businesses will actually save—and how quickly the promised discounted rates will reach establishments across the country.
If implemented effectively, the program could give tourism businesses another reason to stay accredited while creating a more sustainable connection between tourism, entertainment and Filipino music creators.
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