As the Philippines charts a course towards a vibrant and sustainable
future in tourism, Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, the Chief
Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), shares her
strategic vision for Philippine tourism, insights into overcoming global
challenges, and innovative initiatives shaping the industry's
trajectory.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
Michelle Taylan, Founder & President, Global Tourism Business Association
“As we speed ahead in travel rebound, I believe the goal of the
Philippines becoming Asia’s tourism powerhouse can be achieved with the
right support and innovation. Addressing longstanding traffic issues in
major cities, I am hopeful that with the Build Better More programme
under the current administration, infrastructure upgrades will be
fast-tracked.”
We are excited for more tourists to come to the Philippines. With
more direct international flights from all over the world, we are hoping
to see stronger arrival numbers. We are happy to share that the
Philippines recorded more than 5.4 million international visitors from
January 1 to December 2023, excelling the Department of Tourism’s (DOT)
target number of tourist arrivals for 2023. The DOT has set its goal of
7.7 million international arrivals by year-end. This is just half a
million lower than country’s pre-pandemic arrivals of 8.2 million in
2019.
We are also excited about the upcoming launch of [the] new MICE brand
and campaign TPB is rolling out soon. We will launch this globally,
beginning with a soft launch at MICECON 2024 in Clark. We will do a
concerted and coordinated digital launch to cover all MICE markets.
How does the TPB intend to meet this year’s tourism goals?
On digital transformation, we find that content consumption in the
Philippines is very fast-paced and the on-demand culture is here to
stay. The Travel Philippines App is a handy mobile tool that provides
comprehensive information about the various destinations in the
Philippines and the activities that are available. We are looking to
improve the accessibility of the app by translating it to more languages
based on our key and strategic markets.
What new tourism destinations or experiences will the TPB focus on promoting this year?
Arjun Shroff, President, Philippine Tour Operators Association
“In recent years, ecotourism, dive, sports, medical, faith-based, and
gastronomy tourism have seen substantial growth in the Philippines due
to heightened market awareness. Although only a handful of Philippine
stakeholders currently provide these niche experiences, a recent PHILTOA
stakeholders meeting focused on developing strategies to sustain this
growth.”
The TPB remains dedicated to empowering local communities. Through
our Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Programme, we’ve conduced workshops in
several communities, like the indigenous textile weavers in Kalinga,
the embroidery artisans and abaca weavers in Panay and Bukidnon,
nature-based attractions in Sagay City, and bag makers in Mauban,
Quezon. These workshops prepare communities to host tourists and
highlight their cultural experiences.
There is also a strong demand for luxury travel in the Philippines
from the domestic and international markets. The definition of luxury
has evolved in the past years from being brand-centric to curated and
bespoke experiences. The Philippines is an ideal location for luxury
travellers seeking sustainable experiences because of our innate culture
of developing circular economies. Even the concept was popularised, the
Philippine supply chain has always used efficient means of sourcing and
distribution because of its challenges are an archipelagic nation.
The Philippines also aims to establish items as a global hub for
sports tourism, particularly in golf. With Over 100 golf courses across
Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, along with the historic Santa Barbara Golf
Course in Iloilo Province – one of Asia’s oldest – the country showcases
its robust [golf] infrastructure.
What are the country’s unique features that lend themselves well to travel to tourism marketing?
One of the key strengths we have identified is our various cultural
offerings…our 7,641 islands offer over 187 ethno-linguistic cultures
that, even with their shared colonial history, have carved out a unique
identity.
Nowadays, cultural exchange is at the heart of tourism. It’s about
travellers immersing themselves in the local way of life, learning about
traditions, and forging connections with the people they meet. In the
Philippines, every destination tells a story, and every community
welcomes visitors with open arms.