The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) is the biggest, government-organized travel trade event in the country.

 

Established in 1996, the event hosts qualified buyers from all over the world to participate in tabletop business appointments with Philippine sellers and experience Philippine tourism destinations through pre/post tours with an end-goal of increasing tourist arrivals in the country.

 

PHITEX has become a major annual marketing event that further strengthens the country’s brand image and encourages participants to promote affordable and competitive tourism packages.

 

In 2007, aside from being held in Cebu for the first time, an educational seminar was included in the calendar of activities. The learning activity, featuring industry experts as resource speakers to discuss new trends in tourism marketing as well as marketing strategies in mature and emerging markets, is part of the program to this day.

 

In 2015 and 2019, PHITEX was combined with MICECON, another major marketing activity headed by TPB that aims to consolidate and strengthen various sector involved in the M.I.C.E (Meeting, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events) industry.

 

For the first time, despite the pandemic, TPB hosted the PHITEX 2020 Hybrid Edition in September 2020 in Panglao, Bohol. This online travel trade show allowed tourism stakeholders from all over the world to explore new opportunities and markets as well as updating global buyers with the latest Philippine tourism offerings in one hybrid e-conference environment. For the third time since its inception, the 2021 PHITEX was conducted outside of Manila, and Subic played host to 121 buyers and 156 sellers.

 

PHITEX Participants in the last five years:

	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Buyers	209	188	162	121	121
No. of countries	34	29	28	34	32
Seller Companies	154	148	127	161	156
Seller Delegates	236	235	194	345	156
Total Delegates	445	423	356	466	277

 

This year, TPB will again host the PHITEX 2022 scheduled on 16-25 October 2022 in Manila, with the theme “Embracing Responsible Tourism” – Making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit. The event will have a two-day hybrid Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), PHITEX Educational Program (PEP) Talk and Pre and Post-Tours for Buyers.

 

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