MANILA – The Philippine delegation has raised over PHP100 million worth of sales leads during the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from Feb. 2 to 5.
In a statement Monday, Tourism Promotions Board chief operating officer Maria Margarita Montemayor-Nograles said the country was represented by 16 local exhibitors from the airline industry, tour operators, and accommodations that engaged with 115 international buyers.
“Over and above our impressive turnout in the number of sales leads, I am in much awe of how the participation and performance of the Philippines depicted the excellence and heart of the Filipino brand which truly brought the best of the country to the ASEAN region,” Montemayor-Nograles said.
The ATF is the biggest annual tourism event in the ASEAN region, attracting key tourism stakeholders including policymakers, industry leaders, and tourism-related service providers.
The Philippine pavilion showcased the country’s rich cultural heritage and award-winning destinations such as Boracay, Cebu, and Palawan.
It also presented Kaulayaw Coffee sampling and a dynamic cultural martial arts performance from the Lapu-Lapu Arnis de Abanico.
The TBP also reported that the country garnered prestige during the ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards, which recognized outstanding tourism businesses and destinations in the region that have complied with the international association’s tourism standards.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco welcomed the guests to the event with an invitation to explore the country’s various tourism products.
“We aim to give you the best of the Filipino to remind you that while the Philippines continues to be a top-of-mind destination all over the world, there is also so much more to our beaches, our dive sites, our mountain ranges, and our underground rivers,” Frasco said.
“There’s our food, our living cultural traditions, and many components that give you a window into the soul of the Filipino”.
The recipients of the recognition included Inandako’s Bed and Breakfast, Gina’s Homes, Sid Homestay, Hide Away House, and Maryhilz Homestay for ASEAN Homestay.
The Cordillera Convention Hall, William Tan Enterprises Inc. (Caltex Irawan), DEU 818 Corporation (High Ridge Restaurant), and Shell OGI at Northwalk 2, City Environment and Management Office (Botanical Garden and Wright Public Toilets) specifically bagged the ASEAN Public Toilet Award.
The Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA) received the ASEAN community-based tourism citation while the Clinic at the Hilton Clark and Quan Spa at the Clark Marriott Hilton were recognized as winners of the ASEAN Spa Services.
The TPB is looking forward to participating in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 to be hosted by Laos.
The TPB Philippines is the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism, whose mandate is to promote the Philippines, domestically and internationally, as a leisure, MICE, and investment destination.
It fulfills its mandate through organizing, participating, or supporting tourism consumer or trade events; expanding media partnerships and advertising; continuing content development and distribution programs; creating thematic and strategic consumer activations domestically and abroad; facilitating familiarization tours for buyers, location scouts, and diplomatic corps members; and engaging its TPB membership program. (PNA)
