Philippine Travel Exchange in Manila

Foreign Travel Executives to Converge in Manila for the 5th Philippine Travel Exchange

The 5th Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX), scheduled from September 9 to 10, 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Galleria in Manila, draws top foreign operators and executives from all parts of the globe.

Spearheaded by the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippine Airlines and tourism private sector groups, PHITEX is a tourism-cum-business forum that aims to generate maximum exposure for Philippine destinations in its key target markets.

Travel executives from Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, United Kingdom, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, and Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco in the United States are set to arrive for the event.

The Philippine Travel Exchange, which will serve as a launch pad for DOT's new programs on the existing and emerging niche markets abroad, will be held simultaneously with the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) �the country's local travel tourism show at the SM Megamall in Pasig, Manila.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano expressed his high optimism for the two events. He said, "PHITEX and PTM are being held as part of the Department's continuing campaign to maintain high level of awareness for the country's new and existing tourism products and services and our goal to reach our target of 2.5 million tourist arrivals this year."

Durano further explained that the Philippine Travel Exchange is divided in two components � the business forum and the post-event tour inspections.

During the business forum, the buyers will engage local sellers on one-on-one business meetings that are expected to strengthen the Philippines' position as a preferred destination in international markets.

On the other hand, the post-PHITEX tours are designed to provide foreign delegates with the opportunity to gain a first-hand experience of the Philippines' new products and services.

According to the DOT, many of the foreign delegates have already signed up for tours to destinations such as Cebu, Boracay, Davao, Bohol, and Palawan.

The Secretary asserted that the Philippines has much to gain in this year's Philippine Travel Exchange as it will serve as a 'dry run' for the country�s staging of the ASEAN Travel Forum (ATF) in Davao slated January of 2006. More than a thousand foreign participants are expected to flock to the country for the annual ATF meet.

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