Stretches of pristine, white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Life-changing underwater adventures and lush highland treks. Unforgettable regional cuisines that will have visitors yearning for more. Welcoming service that goes above and beyond.

Anyone who’s been to the Philippines will know there’s a lot of love in the country beyond the postcard-perfect scenes of paradise coming to life. If you’ve had your eye on the country for some time but don’t quite know where to begin, start here: the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX).

PHITEX is the country’s biggest government-organised travel trade event, and is one of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines’ long-running initiatives designed to boost tourism in the country. It is an exciting marketplace and networking event for international buyers and Philippine sellers, and pitches the Philippines as an ideal business and travel destination thanks to stellar tourism attractions and infrastructure.

International buyers and Philippines sellers discuss travel options at the two-day tabletop meetings. Photo Credit: TPB

This year’s PHITEX – which took place this year in Cebu from 16-26 September 2023 at the Fili Hotel in NUSTAR Resort and Casino and at Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark –  welcomed 100 buyers from 18 countries and 168 Philippine delegates representing 122 companies.

For a whole week, the spotlight was placed on the country’s top tourism products and the ways in which stakeholders, from government to private companies, could come together to meet the goals of cultivating a more sustainable tourism industry. Over two days of tabletop meetings, the fair generated PHP296 million (US$5.2 million) in projected income for local businesses.

Bigger, better and more vibrant

Last year’s PHITEX, held in Manila, was the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that international buyers could be physically present. It was a huge success despite the lingering after-effects of the pandemic, and the event earned the TPB Philippines the National Tourism Initiative of the Year-Philippines award at the GovMedia Awards – which recognises outstanding government projects and initiatives in Asia – held in Singapore in July this year.

PHITEX 2023’s entertainment included a peek into Sinulog, the iconic annual festival honoring the Holy Infant Jesus, held every third Sunday of January that draws millions visitors – from devotees to curious partygoers – to Cebu. Photo Credit: TPB

PHITEX 2023 built on the success of last year’s event and respond to the times. Designed as both a trade fair and a knowledge-sharing platform, this year’s event also featured a series of talks called PHITEX Educational Talks (PEPTalks) by industry experts and other distinguished guests.

Talks revolved around this year’s event theme of “Tourism Sustainability in the Era of Internet of Things”, covering a range of pertinent topics that are currently trending worldwide, including the relevance of data privacy, sustainability in the hospitality sector, and travel trends among generational travel groups, from Gen Z to Boomers.

The heart of the Philippines

Among the new infrastructure in Cebu is the new Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway, which is expected to help ease the flow of traffic between Mactan Island and the Cebu mainland. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

While Cebu has always been regarded as Manila’s more easy-going cousin, a summertime staple for its sea to summit attractions, it presents an ideal preview to the whole country’s broader offerings, with a number of these unique to Cebu itself.

The Philippines, for instance, has regularly clinched the title of Best Dive Destination in Asia Pacific at Travel Weekly Asia Readers’ Choice Awards, and the sites across Cebu offer an abundance of proof the title is well-deserved – from the reefs off the northern island of Malapascua, where thresher sharks are reliably present, to the southwestern coastal town of Moalboal, renowned for offering the otherworldly underwater sardine runs.

Majestic sea creatures such as whale sharks can be found in Oslob, a town on the southern tip of Cebu island in the Philippines. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

But even for non-divers, there’s a lot to explore. Travellers don’t need to travel very far to get to a relaxing beach, and resorts around nearby Mactan Island offer pitch-perfect respite from the bustle of the big city.

It’s not just any city – Cebu City is the Philippines’ oldest city, the country’s first capital, and there’s a palpable sense of pride in the richness of its history. The newly opened outpost of the National Museum of the Philippines in Cebu, built into a heritage building that original served as a customs house, unpacks Cebu’s identity, from a Spanish colonial-era settlement to its position as an important maritime hub in the archipelago’s midsection, to its current role as an international gateway.

It’s a role Cebu takes quite seriously, and it shows in the significant investment in infrastructure such as airports, integrated resorts as well as bridges and tollways for greater connectivity within the island and with the rest of the country.

To discover what the Philippines has to offer, visit https://thephilippines.online.  

This article is brought to you by Philippine Travel Exchange.