TPB to host the country’s biggest travel trade event on Sept. 4 to 6

THE TOURISM Promotions Board ( TPB) is set to host the country’s biggest and most significant travel trade event — the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX), on Sept. 4 to 6 at the Marriot Grand Ballroom.

In line with the Visit the Philippines Again 2016 ( VPA) campaign, this year’s PHITEX is set to once again promote the country as the premier tourist destination among some of the world’s biggest travel and tour buyers.

With this year’s theme, “#PHITEX2016: Bigger Business,” TPB is bringing a larger and improved PHITEX with more sessions allocated for business-tobusiness interactions and better designed pre-tours and post-tours.

Kicking off this week-long event is the 27th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) on Sept. 2 to 3 at SMX Convention Center. Organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), PTM is considered to be one of the major travel trade exhibitions in the promotion of domestic and inbound tourism. The event attracts buyers from all over the world as it presents the best and most affordable tour packages in the country.

Highlighting the event is the Travel Exchange ( TRAVEX), which includes exclusive business-tobusiness appointment meetings between Philippine sellers and foreign buyers. By giving them the chance to personally meet the local sellers, buyers are introduced to the Philippines’ marketing trends and practices. In exchange, sellers are given an edge to offer globally competitive tour packages to the international market. These sessions will also provide foreign buyers the opportunity to experience the fun and exciting post tours to main Philippine attractions and destinations.

“PHITEX has been instrumental in strengthening the brand image of the Philippines,” shared TPB Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III. “By introducing the best tourism products and services to the international market and bringing together the different stakeholders in the tourism industry, the country has become an important destination, not only for various international and high-level business and economic meetings but also for travel and trade. In fact, the country has welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors from Jan. to May 2016. This is 13.02% higher than the accumulated arrivals in January to May 2015.”

Now on its 15th year, PHITEX has been continuously sustaining the growth that the Philippines has gained in the global tourism market.