TPB Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Re-Accreditation

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines once again proves its commitment towards the continuous improvement of its management systems by successfully maintaining its ISO 9001:2015 certification. The audit performed by the Certification International Philippines, Inc. showed that the quality management systems in place at TPB has seen remarkable improvements and discovered no non-conformities in the organization's existing processes on design, development and provision of Philippine tourism marketing and promotions versus the ISO standards. An attached agency of the Department of Tourism, TPB exists to market and promote the Philippines domestically and internationally as a world-class tourism and MICE destination.

Growing Philippine Tourism

The Philippines is once again at the forefront of the global tourism industry with its participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) 2019 in Excel, London.Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Philippines’ participation was able to generate more than P62 millionbased on partial sales leads gathered or a 35.73% return of investment.

With Korea, China, the US and Japan topping the country’s tourist arrivals, the Philippines’ participation in WTM strengthens the country’s presence in the international tourism and travel arena, particularly Europe and brought it close to its goal of attracting 8.2 million tourists by the end of 2019.

The WTM provided a platform for the Philippine private sector to conduct business-to-business meetings and renew linkages with theirtourism markets around the world.It also enabled TPB and DOT to generate marketing and promotions leads and stay abreast with the latest trends to support its bid to promote the Philippines as the preferred destination.

“The private sector always looks forward to joining WTM,” said DOT Assistant Secretary Roberto Alabado III. “In fact, the Philippines gets very good tourists arrivals from the UK, with a 10% increase from last year. But our participation is not just about tapping the UK market. Through WTM, which is the Olympic of travel fairs, we are able to tap key travel and tourism markets in Europe and the rest of the world.”

The Philippine delegation was composed of industry partners and stakeholders including DOT-accredited tourism establishments led by Amorita Resorts, El Nido Resorts, Bohol Beach Club, Nature Wellness Village, Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar, Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay,; travel and tour operators Baron Travel Corporation, Rajah Tours, Annset Holidays, Inc.,Intas Destinations Management, Inc., Travel Experts, Inc. as well as the Clark Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, highlights of the Philippinebooth included ‘slow fashion’featuring the colorful ancestral art of weaving from the province of Kalinga in the island of Luzon, local and bright-colored banig from Basey, Samarand intricate fashion accessories made of agsamfrom the province of Surigao del Sur.

Also making a big splash were the Itogon coffee served all day by no less than top notch baristas Kiddo Cosio and Silvester Samonte of El Union Café and Raoul Peralta of the social enterprise Henry & Sons, as well coffee pairings featuring Pili Latte and Concerva. Award-winning chefs Jam Melchorand Chef Rica Buenaflor also drew huge crowds with their vegan laing, bringhe and adobo.

And proving that Filipinos are world-class entertainers, the crowd was treated to a performance byaward-winning artists of folkloric group La Lira Filipina, headlined byvocalist Princess Virtudazo and violinist and concertmaster Merjohn Lagaya.

Through active participation in global tourism industry events like WTM, TPB is more than optimistic that the Philippines will indeed be the next must-see destination in Asia.

SM Supermalls Launches Travel Adventure with DOT

As part of its Malling is More Fun in the Philippines campaign, SM Supermalls, in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), launched the Juan Fun Adventure at SM City San Lazaro. Through this initiative, mallgoers can “travel” to the country’s most popular destinations without leaving the metro through Instagram-worthy life-size displays called Travel Pods at SM. These picturesque displays will feature the Mayon Volcano in Albay, Calle Crisologo in Vigan, and the Puerto Prinsesa Underground River, among others. Aside from Travel Pods, Juan Fun Adventure will also feature booths with eco-friendly travel essentials, local delicacies and souvenirs. Juan Fun Adventure will run this October 2019 until April 2020 in SM malls nationwide. Photo shows SM Supermalls COO Steven Tan and DOT secretary Berna Romulo Puyat during the launch.

TPB Mounts Biggest International Travel Trade Event in the Philippines for 2019

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), is set to boost tourism in the Philippines as it simultaneously mounts the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) and MICE Buyers Invitational (MICECONnect) 2019 on October 20 to 27 to promote the Philippines as a prime tourist destination for both leisure and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibits/Events).

Now on its 18th year, PHITEX is considered to be the biggest travel trade event in the country, with close to 200 sellers and 200 buyers participating. The main highlight of the event is the one and a half day business-to-business (B2B) session between foreign buyers and local sellers to encourage tourism-related discourse among the participants, and open doors for business opportunities.

“PHITEX is mounted annually as a support for stakeholders in the travel trade industry,” says TPB COO Marie Venus Tan. “Instead of working as individual operators and sellers, we provide a platform for them to connect to hundreds of buyers from all over the world in one venue, which saves them precious time and money. The event also gives buyers a more comprehensive view of the different destinations and packages that they can sell to consumers, either as individual or bundled tours.”

Participants also took part in the PHITEX educational seminar where industry leaders discussed new trends in tourism marketing as well as marketing strategies in mature and emerging markets while keeping the theme of “Philippine Tourism: Trailblazing Responsible Travel and Inclusive Growth,” in mind.

Giving their insights were Thomas Graham, Co-Founder of Make A Difference (MAD) Travel, Carlos Mori Rodriguez, the Chief Innovation Officer of EON The Stakeholder Relations Group, and Nelly Nuezca Dillera, CESO III, the Deputy Executive Director of the Philippine Trade Training Center - Global MSME Academy, who ended the seminar on how DTI is building capabilities for halal development and certification."

Meanwhile, MICECONnect 2019, aims to accelerate the Philippine MICE industry by gathering MICE suppliers to showcase the country as a premium destination for international events and conferences.

Happening simultaneously with PHITEX, MICECONnect 2019 is the continuation of a two-year program as a comprehensive educational seminar for local MICE stakeholders to learn new and effective global trends, approaches, and methods. This year’s focus is conducting business networking opportunities to further develop the country’s MICE industry.

MICECONnect 2019 likewise features B2B sessions for Philippine and foreign MICE buyers, and include a hotel and MICE venue inspection. Moreover, MICECONnect delegates will be treated to post-event tours to highlight some of the country's premier MICE destinations including Iloilo City, Bacolod, Davao, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Tagaytay, Manila and Batangas.

More importantly, both PHITEX and MICECONnect 2019 enable TPB to support and raise awareness on sustainable community-based tourism. Apart from promoting what the Philippines can offer, TPB also advocates for the protection of natural assets and expanding the benefits of tourism to communities that are directly and indirectly affected by the industry, consequently helping DOT towards achieving its goals for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To know more about PHITEX and MICECONnect 2019, visit the following websites: https://www.phitex.ph/, https://www.micecon.ph, https://www.tpb.gov.ph/, or https://www.facebook.com/tpbphl/.

CDO to Attract more Domestic Tourists through Regional Travel Fair

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), will expand its domestic footprint with the commencement of the 5th Regional Travel Fair (RTF) in the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro.

Supported by the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Northern Mindanao, the RTF aims to promote and strengthen domestic tourism by encouraging travelers to discover more of the Philippines year-round.

Around 100 participants from different travel trade sectors, government agencies, and exhibitors, including local travel and tour agencies, hotels, resorts, and airline operators, are expected to be onboard at the Limketkai Center from August 23-24to showcase the best of the Philippines.
The RTF program includes a 2-day business-to-consumer (B2C) expo wherein exhibitors shall offer exclusive and affordable tour packages that will ultimately increase the volume of domestic travellers around the country. Additionally, a half-day travel exchange (TRAVEX) table-top session will take place for participating buyers and sellers to generate direct sales and business leads, meet new partners and renew deals.

TPB supports Get Global Exhibition in Australia

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), as part of its strategic thrust to strengthen its Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) campaign, supports Get Global – Where the World Meets, an industry exhibition in Australia at the International Convention Center (ICC) Sydney.

Launched in 2017, Get Global has become a reputable platform that connects international MICE suppliers with buyers, including corporate meeting planners, incentive houses and professional conference organizers (PCO), and has been recognized as "Exhibition of the Year" by Meetings & Events Australia for two consecutive years.

With the assistance of DOT Sydney, the Philippines was promoted to Australia's outbound MICE market with increased exposure through Get Global's digital platforms as well as through unlimited face-to-face quality meetings within the one-day event. Participation in the event also generated new leads, established relationships, and explored new networks of contacts for the expansion of the Philippine MICE market, especially among senior buyers in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia is one of the Philippines’ top tourism markets and the month of April this year saw a 13.41 percent increase in tourist arrivals from Down Under. With improved connectivity between Sydney and Manila arising from new and increasing flights, more Australian visitors are expected to keep the upward trend sustained.

TPB Gears Up for Global competitiveness

To achieve its global competitiveness goal and attract more travelers, visitors, and investors, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), is conducting a series of Tourism Marketing Educational Seminars among participants from DOT Regional Offices and local government units (LGUs), which kicked off in Batangas City this June, and will go to Cebu and Butuan in August.

The seminars will focus on skills training and upgrading competency level through workshops, case studies and collaborative research projects. This intends to boost employment rate, improve income opportunities and subsequently increase tourism arrivals and receipts.

Moreover, the seminar-workshop is expected to empower LGU’s tourism officers with greater knowledge to initiate and oversee successful tourism marketing strategies that can significantly contribute to the country’s economic and social development.

TPB will also discuss relevant issues affecting the tourism industry that may impact the market and provide opportunity to enhance performance and decision-making skills.

The seminars, which anticipates approximately 60 participants per run, is part of TPB's initiative to support the National Tourism Develop
ment Plan (NTDP) 2016-2022,aiming to build and upscale the implementation of tourism programs to deliver a more competitive, sustainable and inclusive tourism sector.

Full Speed Ahead for PH Tourism with the Philippine Business Mission to Japan

As part of the invigorated thrust to attract bigger tourist arrivals from Japan, the Philippines recently once again concluded a series of successful Philippine Business Mission (PBM) in Sapporo, Nagoya and Tokyo. Japan ranks 4th in terms of tourist arrivals, with a growth rate of 8.15% or a total of 631,801 Japanese visitors in 2018, compared to 581,180 arrivals in 2017.

The PBM continues to be one of the most important annual projects of the Department of Tourism (DOT) through the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines. It provides the ideal business platform for suppliers of Philippine tourism products—hotels and resorts, tour operators and airlines—in the process of expanding trade relations with their Japanese counterparts while establishing new contacts in the travel trade industry in Japan.

Major components for this year’s PBM were: a Philippine Seminar that provided a comprehensive report on important Philippine travel and tourism developments; Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings wherein DOT Tokyo and DOT Osaka had a total of 400 industry players for one-on-one business discussions with Japanese travel trade and Philippines sellers; and a Philippine Reception that served as a venue for further business networking, in recognition of the strong ties between the Philippines and Japan.

TPB Intensifies Efforts to Increase Chinese Tourist Arrivals

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, recently joined ITB China which took place in Shanghai as part of its initiative to capture a bigger chunk of 129 million Chinese tourists travelling abroad in the past two years.
In 2017, about 960,000 Chinese tourists visited the country and more than 1.2 million in 2018. TPB hopes to increase Chinese tourist arrivals through its active and consistent participation in ITB China, the largest and fastest growing source market in the travel industry. For 2019, the event had an estimated 15,000 attendees, and approximately 800 exhibitors from 84 countries and 850 buyers from the biggest Chinese travel companies.

This year, the Philippines targets hitting 1.5 million Chinese traveler arrivals and an additional increase of 19.5% by 2022 upon completion of all tourism development plans, which will highlight all the natural wonders of the country.

The travel and tourism sector remains to be one of the important drivers in the country’s economic growth. It continues to create jobs and boost real estate with the influx of foreign and domestic travelers increasing demand for new properties, specifically hotels and resorts.
Through the ITB China, TPB amplified awareness on the country’s beautiful destinations and many offerings with booth activities that put spotlight on why “It’s more fun in the Philippines!”

A country made up of more than 7,000 islands consisting of beautiful pristine beaches, home to some of the most expansive shopping centers in the world, and offering a dozen of adventure-laden activities, the Philippines is, without a doubt, more than ready to open its doors for more foreign visitors.

TPB Boosts Efforts to Attract Korean Tourists

To boost efforts in attracting Korean tourists to visit the Philippines, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, will be participating in two major travel fairs happening in South Korea—The Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA) on 06 to 10 June 2019 and HanaTour International Travel Show on 07 to 09 June 2019.

KOTFA is the biggest international travel fair in Korea with the participation of both international and domestic tourism-related organizations. This year, KOTFA is expected to generate an attendance of approximately 500 companies and 70 countries. The Philippines reserved six (6) booth spaces to be shared with airlines, hotels and top Korean travel agents in Seoul.

Meanwhile, HanaTour is Korea’s largest tour wholesaler with 1,200 HanaTour exclusive sales offices selling 14,000 tourism products through its 7,000 partners across the globe. This year, the Philippines is the featured country, co-marketing and promoting with HanaTour from June to July 2019, with multiple online and offline activities. The Philippines will also have eight (8) booth spaces at the event to help retail agencies aggressively sell and promote Philippine tour products, and provide general information about the country to the public.

South Koreans make up a huge portion of tourists visiting the Philippines annually, sharing approximately 22.3% of 1,587,959 visitors in 2018. TPB aims to increase Korean visitor arrivals by 25.80% upon completion of all tourism development plans by 2022, which will highlight the natural wonders of the Philippines.

As the country strengthens its campaign “It’s more fun in the Philippines” Korean tourists will get to choose from many offerings such as its beautiful pristine beaches, expansive shopping centers, dozens of adventure-laden activities, and the renowned warm hospitality of the Filipinos.

4th Regional Travel Fair Pushes for Domestic Tourism

Spearheaded by the revitalized Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the 4th Regional Travel Fair in Clark, Pampanga recently concluded with a wide range of activities such as business-to-business sessions, a two-day business-to-consumer exhibit, forums and pre-event tours to further increase nationwide domestic tourist arrivals while promoting sustainable tourism in private-public initiatives and programs. The four-day travel fair highlighted two main events: business-to-consumer exposition attended by hundreds of travel enthusiasts, and participated in by the biggest tour operators and local tourism officers in the country to market their special travel deals and promos; and the business-to-business travel exchange that enabled participating buyers and sellers to network and discuss investment opportunities to generate leads and sales. Present during the opening ceremony were (L-R) DOT Region 10 director Marie Elaine Unchuan, TPB Domestic Department OIC Nerissa Juan, Philippine Airlines Luzon Station area head Christopher Lebumfacil, TPB Corporate Affairs Sector acting deputy chief operating officer Joselito Gregorio, Cebu Pacific sales director Agnes Gupalor, and TPB Domestic Promotions – Sales Division OIC Cesar Villanueva.

Pampanga to Host TPB Regional Travel Fair

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) 4th Regional Travel Fair will be held at SM City in Clark, Pampanga on April 4-7, 2019, highlighting domestic tourism in the country.

Expected to draw over 100 participants from the travel trade sector, government agencies and local government units (LGUs), the four-day fair will include a two-day consumer expo featuring exciting travel deals, special fares, exclusive discount packages and promos offered by exhibitors composed of domestic tour, hotels, resorts, and airlines operators.

A travel exchange (TRAVEX) session will also take place for participating buyers and sellers to network and discuss business opportunities and generate leads and sales.

The TPB Regional Travel Fair aims to further strengthen domestic tourism in the country and encourage more and more Filipinos to explore and discover the beauty of the Philippines

PRESS RELEASE MOTO TOURISM COUNCIL JOINS SILLAG 2018 CELEBRATION

Early this month, Moto Tourism Council (MTC) joined in the celebration in La Union – Poro Point’s Sillag Festival 2018 by forming a unity ride that started in Manila and ended with a luncheon treat at the baywalk of Poro Point Freeport Zone. A total of 17 members participated in the unity ride from Manila showing the joy and safety fun of motorcycling trip plus the beauty of the various provinces that they have passed by.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo Teo has approved the formation of the Moto Tourism Council (MTC) that will draft the Moto Tourism campaign plan aimed at boosting motorcycle travel in the country, and eventually generate additional revenues for the tourism sector. A thrust that Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre himself supports, since he is a rider himself. According to him, the MTC is aimed to show not only the beauty of certain parts of the country but the entirely of it. From Luzon to Mindanao, using the Philippine Nautical Highway, motorcycle riders can now enjoy a trip to any point in the country.

The La Union unity trip aims to promote not only the beauty and safety of proper motorcycle riding but also the possibilities of the being developed Freeport Zone. Joining the unity ride were Manuel Jose, Christpher Pedrosa, Chris Franco, Alvin Aggregado, James Selenio, Raffy Escano, Bobbit Tongco, Miggy Tongco, JT Lansangan, Peter Lansangan and Peter Barrientos, to name a few. 

Arriving during the second day of the Sillag Festival celebration, La Union was awaken by the number of riders passing by the main road of the province before ending at the Freeport Zone. The weather was so endearing that it was both sunny and windy at that time. Met by the Highway Patrol team and that of the PNP, the site of riders being accompanied was a sight to behold, elevating the curiosity of the people on what is there to see that day at the celebration ground. With bikes and riders, a riding spectacle was created for the people of La Union and that of Poro Point. Participants of the ride were then treated to an all Filipino luncheon spread prepared by the PPMC Poro Point Management Corporation headed by Dir Warly Guerra, Chairman of Investment Committee. Dir Guerra gave the guests a briefing of the investment opportunities in Poro Point Freeport Zone. He also seeked the help of the businessmen to help in promoting PPFZ as investment destination.

Not only did the MTC did the unity ride but they also started the Parade of Lights celebration and took the time to display their various bikes for people to see and take pictures with; something that bike riders, bike enthusiasts and fans took delight that day in the festival.

With this simple exhibition of motorcycling experience, riders can now travel and enjoy in their own pace the trip of doing a point-to-point tour of the country, promoting road and motorcycling safety and the scenic view of the place. No small thanks to the thrust of the Department of Tourism in looking into the various ways that people can truly explore the country.

A Taste of the Philippines from TBEX

Delegates of the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia-Pacific 2016, the largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, content media creators, and tourism industry professionals, had a feast as they discovered Philippine cuisine.

Presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), in coordination with NMX Events, their journey of discovery began with a 15-hour food tour where they travelled to Pampanga, “the culinary center of the Philippines”, to try iconic Filipino dishes such as lechon, sisig, chicken inasal, and sinigang. They then went to Binondo to experience the country’s Chinese culinary influence on food.

The contingent was served an array of grilled fish, prawns, squids, and clams and tasted some of the native delicacies such as barquillos, turones, kutsinta, halo-halo, rice cakes including bibingka, cassava cake, and puto.

The country’s tropical fruits were also a hit as the visitors sampled the sweetest mangoes, rambutan, lanzones and marang. Calamansi was a surprise to them for its versatility – from a refreshing fruit drink to an additional flavor to condiments.



To complete their Filipino food experience, they were served some of the country’s exotic foods including balut, pako or fern salad, and sea urchin.

“I find it very interesting that the Filipino cuisine is influenced by so many other cultures and it creates a fascinating mix,” said Maria Haase who travelled all the way from Germany. “This food trip was very interesting and inspiring for me.”

Further making Filipino meals fun, the delegates experienced boodle feasts, which urged them not only to share their food but to interact and converse with one another.

Trying Filipino dishes in this unique way was something the first-time visitors were able to enjoy. “This is such a simple pleasure to enjoy. It’s amazing that we get the time to eat together. I love this kind of culture,” said Chicago-native Rosemary Kimani.

TBEX Asia Pacific 2016 was made possible with the support of Philippine Airlines, Globe Telecom, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and Duty Free Philippines. Other sponsors included Amorita Resort, The Lind Boracay, Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel, Limketkai Luxe Hotel, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Primer Group of Companies, The Funny Lion Palawan, Merrell Philippines, Lakan, Banana Peel, Le Spa at Sofitel, Park Inn by Radisson, Hotel Luna, Bluewater Maribago Resort and Spa, Sonya’s Garden, Museo Orlina, and Grab Philippines.

The event was also made possible through the participation of volunteers from the University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University, University of Santo Tomas, and Philippine Women’s University.

The amazing variety of food – from savory dishes to sweet delicacies, and our wide array of fresh ingredients, diverse cultural influences, proves that the Philippines can stand out as an exciting culinary destination.

*This is Press Release

DOT and TPB welcomes the TBEX participants

 

The Department of Tourism and the Tourism and Promotions Board (TPB) warmly welcomes the arrival of the top travel experts and participants for the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia-Pacific happening at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on October 13-16, 2016. TBEX will serve as an avenue for travel bloggers from around the world to learn, expand their networks and linkages, and do business. It also creates a good opportunity for the participants to experience the best of the Philippines through exciting tours around the country before and after the conference. Photo shows (from left): Ivan About Town’s Professor Ivan Henares, DOT Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre, TBEX CEO Rick Calvert, best-selling author Patricia Schultz, Our Awesome Planet’s Anton Diaz and TPB Events Marketing and Services OIC Raquel Tria.

A 15-hour Culinary Adventure

It was a whole day filled with fun, friendship and gastronomic delights as the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the Department of Tourism (DOT), Makansutra and Ayala Malls launched the World Street Food Congress (WSFC) 2016 via a 15-hour food frenzy safari.

WSFC is an international culinary affair and will be held in the Philippines for the first time after being hosted by Singapore for the past two years. The five day event will take place at Bonifacio Global City (BGC) from 20-24 April 2016 and will feature the World Street Food Dialogue, World Street Food Jamboree, and World Street Food Awards. Registration for the World Street Food Dialogue is done online at www.wsfcongress.com.

Among those who participated in the food tour were Makansutra’s KF Seetoh, Indonesia’s culinary ambassador Chef William Wongso, Our Awesome Planet’s Anton Diaz, Chef Sau del Rosario, RJ Ledesma of Mercato Centrale and Singapore’s DJ Rosalyn Lee.

The street food safari kicked off at 7:00 AM at BGC then proceeded to food stops at Pampanga, Binondo and back to BGC at around 10:00 PM. The itinerary included Recovery Food, Everybody’s Cafe, Aling Lucing’s Sisig, Cafe Fleur, Sarsa Kitchen + Bar and Mercato Centrale Night Market. Traditional favorites such as tapsilog, sisig, kare-kare, lumpia and lechon were among the numerous iconic Filipino dishes the participants sampled during the jam-packed trip.
“We are very excited that the Philippines will be hosting the WSFC 2016.This will once again highlight our country as one of the best culinary destinations in the world, and it is an opportunity for us to share to the global audience the richness and contemporary edge of Filipino gastronomy,” shares TPB COO Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III.

Considered as Philippine Food Month, April is packed with other major culinary events such as the Madrid Fusión Manila 2016, the biggest and most important gastronomic event in Asia in the 21st century; and Flavors of the Philippines, a month-long food extravaganza that showcases the unique tastes of classic, contemporary and exotic Filipino food from all over the country.

For more updates on WSFC 2016 and Philippine Food Month, visit www.tpb.gov.ph.

*This is Press Release

Philippines Hosts the 11th World Congress of the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays

This year, the 11th World Congress of the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World was held in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro – the only member bay in the country included in the club of the Most Beautiful Bays. The congress served as an avenue for international stakeholders to discuss measures to fight climate change in order to protect the club’s member bays. Organized by the Puerto Galera Most Beautiful Bay Inc. (PGMBBI) in coordination with the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro, the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board, the multi-faceted congress showcased Puerto Galera’s unique ecological and cultural assets through talks, island-hopping and excursions, and a visit to the Mangyans, among other activities. Photo shows: (L-R) Puerto Galera Mayor Hubbert Dolor, Governor of Oriental Mindoro Alfonso Umali, Jr., Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection Sec. J.R. Nereus O. Acosta, Congress organizer Hubert D’Aboville, former President of MBBW Galip Gur, Setubal, Portugal Mayor Maria Das Dores Meira, newly elected President of MBBW and Yeosu Bay, Korea Mayor Cheolhyeon Ju.

Please refer to the Tourism Promotions Board

*This is Press Release

Philippines Sets Stage for Annual International Museum Council Summit

The Philippines is set to welcome more than 200 culture and museum leaders and experts of the Asia Pacific region this first week of December for the International Council of Museum- Asia Pacific 2015 Conference and General Assembly dubbed as ICOM ASPAC 2015. The event is slated on December 3 to 7 at the newly opened Iloilo Convention Center, Iloilo City.

ICOM is a global network of more than 35,000 culture and museum institutions and professionals that work together to achieve its mission of conserving, continuing, and communicating to society the world’s natural and cultural heritage. Its Philippine National Committee, the ICOM-Philippines headed by its Chair, Gina V. Barte is tasked to host this year’s annual event. The ICOM President, Hans-Martin HInz, will address the event together with the ICOM-ASPAC Chair, Dr. Song Xinchao, Chair of ICOM-China and Deputy Director of the Directorate of State Cultural Heritage of the Peoples’ Republic of China. This year’s theme, ‘Pathways for Museums for a Sustainable Society,’ promotes ICOM’s response to changes in today’s social environment and represents ICOM’s contribution to societal development, particularly in the domain of culture and museum building. This is part of ICOM’s response to the global call of uniting its partners in culture and development to create the greatest impact in becoming a cultural driving force towards sustainable development.

The link between sustainable development issues and the core function of museums to safeguard and promote and educate the public about their cultural heritage is becoming more pronounced in recent years. The world is increasingly torn by conflicts and violence, where museums and cultural heritage sites have become targets of destruction or end up as collateral damage, in situations of terrorism and war. Calamities and disasters resulting from extreme weather conditions continue to endanger museums and collections that represent irreplaceable culture and heritage. Poverty and growing population have led to neglect in some countries, making museums and cultural objects to pillage and theft.

In this event, the ICOM-ASPAC will be able to gather the key leaders of culture and museums in the region as well as other countries outside of it as one community in an effort to recognize its role in defining, promoting, and implementing sustainable practices. It will explore take off points that will bring forth significant and new knowledge about the framework and best practices of each of the 24 ICOM-ASPAC member countries. The goal is to create pathways that puts culture and museums at the core of sustainable development in the countries/regions where the ICOM-ASPAC is present, including Australia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam (observer), China, Cambodia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Khyrghyztan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Shri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand. They will be joined by Palau representing the Pacific rim countries and middle east countries, the Republic of Iran.

“As the country host, the ICOM-Philippines is looking forward to having our colleagues and our sustainable development allies, learn from the plenary discussions and workshop sessions but most of all, discover our own cultural treasures through the study tours of significant cultural sites, museums, and exhibits and other activities lined up for the event,” enthuses Barte.

She also added that the Philippine hosting of this year’s ICOM event comes at an opportune time as the government, through the Department of Tourism, has identified the role of cultural tourism as one of the driving forces in the development of Philippine tourism. The event is also a testament that the country, and especially Iloilo, is now ready to be globally competitive in hosting international events like ICOM.

DOT follows the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP), which also supports the direction of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), as its strategic framework in the development of the tourism section. Under the NTDP, opportunities for the country to develop and market competitive destinations and products has been identified. Part of this is cultural tourism as well as promoting the Philippines as a competitive venue for global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) activities.

ICOM ASPAC 2015 event will be attended by museums and culture professionals, culture and tourism planners, entrepreneurs, policy makers, advocates, academics, partners from the business sectors and civil societies, other stakeholders from the Philippines and members from the global ICOM network. If you want to know more about ICOM,visit http://icom.museum/. To know more about the event, visit http://network.icom.museum/icom-philippines/. For additional queries, contact the Secretariat at icomph.secretariat@gmail.com, +632550-2218 or +63927-812-2335