CEBU CITY – Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Wednesday extended a warm welcome to the hundreds of buyer delegates and seller participants attending the 2023 Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) at the Fili Hotel, Nustar Cebu.
In her keynote address, Secretary Frasco expressed her gratitude to the buyer delegates representing 19 countries from across the globe. She stated, “Our gratitude goes to you for your continued belief in the potential of Philippine tourism, and your love for the Philippines.”
Secretary Frasco went on to highlight the recognition by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of tourism’s immense potential as a reliable economic pillar for the Philippines. This recognition comes as the nation seeks to rebound from the pandemic and various calamities.
As part of the efforts to reintroduce the Philippines as a competitive tourism destination in the ASEAN region and globally, Secretary Frasco shared the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) plans and programs. These initiatives include promoting ecotourism, developing tourism communities nationwide, fostering private sector participation in heritage protection, diversifying the tourism portfolio, and implementing measures to benefit tourism stakeholders.
Additionally, Secretary Frasco discussed the DOT’s ongoing endeavors to strengthen the Philippines’ connections with neighboring countries. This includes the nation’s active role as a member of the ASEAN National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) and its leadership as the country coordinator for preparing the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2025. This plan will succeed the existing ASTP 2016-2025 and aims to maintain ASEAN as a responsible, sustainable, inclusive, and balanced tourism region.
Furthermore, Secretary Frasco shared that as of September 19, 2023, the Philippines had already welcomed over 3.8 million international visitors. This impressive number represents more than 80% of the targets set for 2023 and has generated an estimated revenue of over 316.9 billion pesos for the country.
Secretary Frasco expressed hope that the business-to-business exchanges during the event would significantly contribute to the Philippine tourism landscape and economy. (With report from DOT Facebook page)
