Travel Trade events do brisk business selling the Philippines

This year’s Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) generated over P396.22 million in sales leads, despite fewer sellers. This was disclosed by Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles at the close of Phitex on Friday, at the Conrad Manila. The value was estimated from 288 reported sales leads by 115 sellers, who had meetings with 97 buyers from 18 countries. Last year’s Phitex, held in Cebu, generated sales leads valued at P346.04 million by 119 sellers of Philippine destinations and tours, after meeting with 88 buyers. She told reporters that this year’s Phitex included buyers from India, a market the TPB has been trying to penetrate, due to its growing outbound market. Market studies showed some 21 million Indians traveled internationally in 2022, making India the largest source market of outbound tourists in Asia. Prior to the pandemic, Indian outbound travelers reached 27 million. (See, “TPB pushes ‘Wedding Season’ for Indian visitors in the PHL,” in the BusinessMirror, July 6, 2024.) Buyers from other emerging markets also joined this year’s Phitex, such as the United Arab Emirates, Macau SAR, Indonesia, Turkey, France, and Spain. TPB is the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT). Nograles added the recent Phitex highlighted “experiential travel, which buyers are really looking to see more. [These are] experiences with our Indigenous communities, our culture, experiences into learning a skill maybe how to cook, learning English. So, it’s meaningful and purposeful. This is what the world is looking for now.” Phitex was held from September 3 to 5. More tourism roads funds urged At the 35th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM), which opened on Friday, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the DOT has proposed to Congress P8 billion to construct more tourism roads to destinations. Under the National Expenditure Program for 2025, the Department of Public Works and Highways was allocated “continuing funds of over P6 billion” for said projects, under its convergence program with the DOT. She was hopeful that more routes into and around the country would materialize before yearend. “We’re excited that new routes will be launched by the latter part of this year and we’re looking at the expansion of more routes into opportunity markets like India because we know there are lots of tourism opportunities there,” she added. Flag carrier Philippine Airlines started flying direct to Seattle this month, while Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Manuel “Skee” Tamayo recently disclosed that his agency has approved Air France’s request to mount direct flights between Paris and Manila starting in December. Frasco noted that the Philippines has already recorded “99 percent international connectivity” in terms of flights compared to prepandemic 2019 levels, and “94 percent domestic connectivity.” She said they were eyeing more direct flights to “island destinations” from South Korea and Japan. As of September 5, the Philippines received 4.08 million foreign visitors, but will likely miss the DOT’s conservative target of 7.7 million this year. Philtoa eyes sales over P240M For his part, Philippine Tour Operators Association Arjun Shroff expressed confidence this year’s PTM will exceed the P240 million in sales generated last year. “This is the longest-running premier travel event that brings together the brightest minds and most passionate hearts in the tourism industry,” he said in his welcoming markets on Friday. The event, which ended on Sunday, gathered almost 300 exhibitors including tour operators, tourism offices, travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and resorts at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay. Frasco described the event as “a crucial avenue for presenting the richness and diversity of our country’s tourism offerings.” She also credited the tourism stakeholders for the country’s recent honors at the World Travel Awards. “These awards reflect not only the world-class beauty of our country but also the dedication and passion of every single one of you in this room.” (See, PHL tourism takes home 13 honors at World Travel Awards Asia edition,” in the BusinessMirror, September 6, 2024.) The PTM opening was also attended by TPB’s Nograles as well as representatives from the diplomatic community, event sponsors, and partners.