The Philippine delegation for the 2022 World Travel Market, led by Tourism Secretary Ma. Christina Garcia Frasco, was welcomed with high demand from international buyers with 211 reported business leads made from November 7-9 at ExCel London.
Led by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its marketing and promotions arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the team was supported by 17 Philippine and UK-based private sector companies composed of tour operators, hotels, and resorts that conducted B2B (business-to-business) meetings with international buyers mainly from Europe and Asia during the 3-day global travel trade event.
“It’s an exciting time to travel to the Philippines given how we continuously open new circuits and more tourism developments spearheaded by the tourism department,” said TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles. “We see increased interest in the country which comes at the wake of continuous awards and recognition for the country from reputable travel publications and organizations. We look forward to making our presence in the World Travel Market bigger and better with the support of our local government partners, private stakeholders and industry associations.”
For this year, the Philippines was recognized as the Best Beach and Best Dive Destination at the 2022 World Travel Awards. In the same award giving ceremony, Intramuros won as Best Tourist Attraction in Asia. Conde Nast Traveler echoed the sentiment as it named Boracay as the Top Island in Asia and Palawan on the eight spot. At the Incentive Travel, Conventions and Meetings Asia (ITCMA) 2022 in Thailand, renowned international travel publication TTG awarded the Philippines as Destination of the Year for 2023.
Beyond the business meetings conducted, the country showcased a 3-day cultural performance at the venue’s Entertainment Boulevard and conducted a networking activity at “The Retreat,” a health and wellness area sponsored by TPB where visitors were treated to the traditional Philippine “hilot” massage. The Philippine booth, designed with sustainability in mind, also gave visitors a glimpse of the white sands of Boracay, notable festivals like MassKara, and some of the country’s culinary offerings.
The Philippine delegation entered WTM 2022 to communicate the Filipino brand across all markets, collaborate with international stakeholders, showcase the country’s quality destinations, and sustain a strong and distinguished presence in the global tourism industry.