THE recently held Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) 2023 yielded over P296 million in negotiated sales during its two-day table top meetings between international buyers and local tourism stakeholders last Sept. 20-21 at the Fili-Nustar Hotel in Cebu.
Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, Phitex 2023 brought together a total of 164 seller delegates from 119 Philippine companies and 88 buyers from 19 countries around the world for the travel exchange event, which was graced by Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and TPB chief operating officer Marga Nograles.
This year’s edition of Phitex generated about P55.17 million on the first day and P232.96 million on the second day in projected income including proceeds from sponsorship and participation fees.
“Our gratitude goes to you for your continued belief in the potential of Philippine tourism and your love for the Philippines,” Frasco told the delegation during the event.
Success in tourism recovery
Frasco further emphasized the country’s success in tourism recovery, citing the arrival record of over 3.8 million international visitors as of Sept. 19, and over P316.9 billion in estimated revenue.
Noting that Phitex was inclusive of international buyers, she expressed in her speech what makes the Philippines different as a destination: “The inclusivity of this program beckons international buyers to explore the rich diversity that our country has to offer. But what truly sets us apart as a tourism destination is no other than the best asset of Philippine tourism — the Filipino people.”
This year, Phitex embraced the theme, “Tourism Sustainability in the Era of Internet of Things (IoT),” putting a spotlight on the country’s digitalization and sustainability efforts to meet global demands. Nograles emphasized the need to go beyond business transactions and highlighted TPB’s efforts to arrange post-tours involving visits to diverse community-based tourist sites that will introduce participating international buyers to grassroots initiatives along with local textiles, culinary treasures, and other eco-tourism activities.
“Amid this transformative surge, the tourism industry must be poised for action. We must not only embrace this digital evolution but also guide the way, ensuring that tradition coexists harmoniously with modernization,” Nograles said in line with the expanding IoT that is redefining the whole industry and the tourist experience.
Apart from business-to-business meetings, Phitex also functions as an innovative knowledge-sharing platform to local stakeholders and academia members in the field of tourism through its Philippine Educational Program Talk.
The Phitex 2023 event, which was organized in collaboration with private companies, also aimed to showcase the Philippines’ finest tourism attractions, establishments, services, and products to a global audience. (with PR)