PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

To be part of the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX), you may visit www.phitex.ph and register as Seller.

SELLER QUALIFICATIONS:

A. Participation as a SELLER delegate in PHITEX is open only to DOT- accredited suppliers of Philippine tourism products and services and TPB members, on a first-come, first-served basis subject to the guidelines set by the TRAVEX screening committee. The PHITEX Organizing committee requires all seller participants to be fully vaccinated with at least one booster.

B. Each SELLER organization is allowed to register a maximum of two (2) delegates (Principal and Co-Delegate). Qualified sellers’ position/designation should be equivalent to a Middle Manager or Senior Sales Representative or higher.

In the event that the designated seller delegate/s will not be available during the event, the replacement delegate/s should be of equivalent rank or is capable of making decisions. The Seller’s committee must be notified of the change on or before 11 August 2023.

C. Corporate SELLER registration is not allowed. A Corporate SELLER is any of the following:

● Chain organizations with multiple properties and/or branches in the Philippines.
● Holding companies with multiple properties/services under the same names located in the Philippines.
● Managing companies overseeing the operations of multiple properties/services located in the Philippines.

D. A SELLER cannot sell properties that are not DOT-accredited and/or are not yet in operation.

E. Businesses should fall under any of the following categories:
1. Travel agencies/tour operators
2. Accommodations
3. MICE operators
4. Health and wellness
5. Adventure sports providers
6. Travel trade associations
7. Tourist Transportation
8. Others (i.e. theme parks, attractions, museums)

GUIDELINES:

A. Sellers will be subjected to the following screening procedures:
1. Sellers can access the Participation Agreement form through this link
2. Confirmation of Pre-Registration will ONLY be PROCESSED upon submission of the following:

a. Accomplished Pre-Event Questionnaire and Participation Agreement Form
b. Copy of valid DOT Accreditation Certificate (Those undergoing renewal may
submit a copy of the DOT’s acknowledgment of their application.)
c. Copy of TPB Membership Certificate, if applicable

3. Confirmation will be made on a first-come, first-served basis subject to the guidelines set by the TRAVEX screening committee. Priority will be given to TPB members.

4. The allocation of the slots for seller companies is as follows:

a. 80% for companies with at least three (3) previous participation in TPB- led international events
b. 20% for first-timers or companies with less than three (3) previous participation in TPB- led international events

5. Participation will only be confirmed at most five (5) working days upon the receipt of the Participation Agreement Form with the complete requirements but not earlier than 19 June 2023.

B. REGISTRATION FEE:
1. Participation Fees:

STATUS	FULL REGISTRATION
PRINCIPAL DELEGATE	Php 10,000
CO-DELEGATE	Php 5,000

The registration fee for each delegate must be paid upon confirmation of participation by the PHITEX 2023 Sellers Committee on or before 31 July 2023.

Payment can be made through any of the following options:

1. TPB Cash Office: 4th Floor Legaspi Towers 300, Roxas Boulevard, Metro Manila

2. Deposit directly to Land Bank of the Philippines with the following details:

3. A copy of the proof of payment should be emailed to the Sellers Committee at [email protected].

C. Cancellation Policy:

1. TPB reserves the right to withhold 50% of the Participation Fee if cancellation is made on or before 11 August 2023.

2. Cancellation made beyond 11 August 2023 gives TPB the right to withhold 100% payment of the participation fee and will be considered as no show which will affect future participation in TPB events.
D. A month prior to the event, both buyers and sellers will receive an email for the selection of their business appointments.

E. Buyers will have the first opportunity to select their preferred sellers, after which sellers will choose their preferred buyers.

F. Each seller will have a maximum of for the two-day business sessions, 20 and 24 pre-arranged meetings, respectively, per day.

G. The B2B pre-arranged meetings are set at fifteen (15) minutes each. Participants will be notified three (3) minutes before the end of the meeting to wrap up the discussion and proceed to the next appointment.

H. A Sellers’ Lounge will be set up to accommodate those who are waiting for their succeeding business appointments.

I. In case of a NO SHOW Buyer, the Seller may meet with an available buyer.

J. Bulletins will be sent via email from time to time to keep the participants updated on event details.

K. The program of activities will be accessible on the PHITEX website which will be updated regularly. Kindly refer to the PHITEX 2023 Program Schedule for more details.

L. Non-submission of required forms (i.e. Evaluation Form, Sales Lead Form) or unsettled payables from previous participation in TPB projects will be a basis for non-confirmation to any future TPB event participation.

SELLER ENTITLEMENTS:

A. Sellers’ delegate kit which includes:

1. Access Badge for the event per seller delegate;
2. Digital Directory of International Buyers and Philippine Sellers; and
3. Business Appointment Schedule.

B. Attendance to official functions (PEP Talk, Welcome Dinner and Networking Cocktails)

C. Other marketing efforts that will provide the private sector participants optimal advantage and benefit.

D. Preferential rates extended by Cebu-based accommodation partners.

Note: Travel Expenses (such as but not limited to airfare, land transfers and accommodation) are not included in the participation fees. These shall be on pax accounts.

CODE OF CONDUCT

A. Registered Sellers are not allowed to buy any tourism products from an invited Buyer.

B. Sellers should not sell, promote or display non-DOT-accredited property/branch in or outside the Philippines.

1. All Buyer and Seller appointments are pre-arranged on the first day. Buyers and Sellers are not allowed to refuse any appointment request for as long as their appointment schedules have open slots.
2. Sellers should report Buyers who did not meet their requirements.
3. For any business networking-related concerns, you may reach out to the TRAVEX Marshalls or email the Sellers Committee at [email protected].

 

 

I. BUYER QUALIFICATIONS

Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) 2023 is open to Buyers who:
A. Are selling Asia but not the Philippines;
B. Are not selling the Philippines, but would like to expand and include the Philippines in their programs;
C. Are already selling the Philippines, and still want to enhance their tour programs;
D. Would like to renew their businesses with their Philippine counterparts; and
E. Are potential buyers for the Incentive Travel Program.
F. Qualified buyers’ position/designation should be equivalent to a Manager/Assistant Director, or higher. Substitutions for a registered buyer may be allowed until 11 August 2023 only.
G. Priority is given to first-time Buyers and Buyers who have physically participated in PHITEX only once in the last four (4) years.

 

 

 II. PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

A. Participation in PHITEX is open to qualified buyers. Buyers are pre-qualified to ensure they meet the selection criteria.
B. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis subject to the guidelines set by the Buyers Screening Committee.
C. Registration is free for buyers. Kindly accomplish the online pre-registration form through this link: (link)
D. Confirmed participants will receive an email from the PHITEX 2023 Buyers’ Committee.
E. Participation to the PHITEX 2023 is exclusive only for approved hosted Buyers. Accompanying persons are not allowed.
F. Buyers will have the first opportunity to select their preferred Sellers, after which Sellers will choose their preferred Buyers.
G. Buyers will have 44 official appointments for the two-day business sessions, 20 pre-arranged meetings per day and additional four (4) appointments for scheduling on the second day.
H. A Speed Networking will be conducted in the afternoon of Day 1 during the last hour and 15 minutes for Day 2’s additional four (4) appointments.
I. The B2B pre-arranged meetings are set at fifteen (15) minutes each. Participants will be notified three (3) minutes before the end of the meeting to wrap up the discussion and proceed to the next meeting.
J. The Speed Networking will be set at seven (7) minutes each. Participants will be notified two (2) minutes before the end of the meeting to wrap up the discussion and proceed to the next meeting.
K. The program of activities will be accessible on the PHITEX website which will be updated regularly. Kindly refer to the PHITEX 2023 Program Schedule for more details.
L. Bulletins will be sent via email from time to time to keep the participants updated on event details.
M. Non-submission of post-event evaluation forms will be a basis for non- reimbursement of air tickets.

 

 III. BUYER ENTITLEMENTS

ACCOMMODATION

 

16 to 18 September 2023
Accommodation in Manila 

 

SEDA MANILA BAY
ASEAN Avenue cor. Abueva Road
Aseana City, Paranaque, 1701
Metro Manila, Philippines
https://manilabay.sedahotels.com/

 

1. Hosted overnight accommodation with breakfast in Manila for those with layovers (if there are no direct flights from international to Cebu, must fly from Manila to Cebu the next day).
2. Hosted wash-up rooms for those with layovers of six (6) hours or longer (same-day flights).
3. All rooms on Single Occupancy.
4. The hotel can waive the incidental deposit upon check-in, but any charges consumed on top of the hosted room with breakfast must be settled on a cash basis.
5. Please let the Buyers Committee know in advance should you wish to avail of the above-mentioned room entitlements if you will be passing through Manila.

 

18 to 22 September 2023
Accommodation in Cebu

 

FILI HOTEL – NUSTAR CEBU

NUSTAR Resort
Kawit Island, South Road Properties
Cebu City, 6000
Cebu, Philippines
www.nustar.ph/hotels/fili

1. Hosted accommodation with breakfast in Cebu for the duration of the event.
2. All rooms on Single Occupancy.
3. The hotel will collect an incidental deposit upon check-in, equivalent to PHP 3,000.00 per night (estimated to be USD 53.00 per night).
4. Charges on top of the room with breakfast package will be on a personal account of the guests.
5. Those whose arrival/departure falls outside of these dates (especially those who will not join the post-tours) may be accommodated, subject to room availability.

 

24 to 28 September 2023
Accommodation in Manila 

 

SEDA MANILA BAY
ASEAN Avenue cor. Abueva Road
Aseana City, Paranaque, 1701
Metro Manila, Philippines
https://manilabay.sedahotels.com/

1. Hosted overnight accommodation with breakfast in Manila after the post-tours.
2. All rooms on Single Occupancy.

The hotel can waive the incidental deposit upon check-in, but any charges consumed on top of the hosted room with breakfast must be settled on a cash basis.

 

AIRFARE REIMBURSEMENT

(For Fully Hosted Buyers only)

 

1. The reimbursement shall cover only Fully Hosted Buyers arriving in Manila/Clark/Cebu on 16 September 2023 and departing Manila/Clark/Cebu no later than 27 September 2023.
2. The Fully Hosted Buyers must make their own flight arrangements through the airlines or travel agents.
   1. Air ticket reimbursement shall not include personal travel insurance, excess baggage charges, and other fees imposed by airport authorities.
   2. Fully Hosted Buyers are to arrange their own insurance coverage for the entire travel period.
   3. Fully Hosted Buyers who will join the post-tours are reminded to validate their flight connections.
3. Fully Hosted Buyers shall be reimbursed the cost of their air tickets subject to the CAPPED amount or the actual air ticket cost, whichever is lower, regardless of the airline or travel agent used. Buyers who redeemed their tickets through the Frequent Flyer Program shall be reimbursed the CAPPED amount.
   1. The CAPPED amount has been pre-determined by the PHITEX 2023 Organizing Committee based on the average economy class airfare from the country of origin including the roundtrip domestic airfare for those who have a connecting flight from Manila or Clark going to Cebu. For Buyers who will join the Familiarization Tour, the domestic airfare will be computed based on 1-way fair only
   2. The capped amount is inclusive of USD 200.00 Domestic Airfare (Manila/Clark – Cebu-Manila/Clark)
   3. Domestic air ticket is based on Roundtrip PAL Economy Flex with 20 kilos Baggage Allowance (16-27 September travel date)
   4. For those who will join the Fam Tour, the capped amount shall be recomputed based on a 1-way ticket (Manila/Clark – Cebu) upon submission of a copy of the air ticket/miles redemption
4. The reimbursement to Fully Hosted Buyers shall be in the following currency based on the published exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Philippines (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) as of 12 September 2023
   1. US Dollar; an
   2. Philippine Peso, if the balance is not available in US dollar denomination.
5. The PHITEX 2023 Airfare Reimbursement Form (PHITEX2023 ARF) has been sent to concerned buyers through the email provided in the online registration.
6. Fully Hosted Buyers are encouraged to submit the PHITEX 2023 Airfare Reimbursement Form (PHITEX2023 ARF) together with the following documents between 19-20 September 2023 to the Airfare Reimbursement Counter at the Buyers Lounge from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM to facilitate the computation of the reimbursement.
   1. Copy of passport identification page with signature
   2. Copy of the passport page with Philippine Immigration Stamp or Boarding Pass (Country of Origin should be the same as declared in the Agreement)
   3. Copy of air ticket/electronic air ticket
   4. Official Receipt or Points/Miles Redemption Letter as proof of purchase of the air ticket
7. Submission of the Appointment Sheet (with 38 concluded appointments) and Accomplished Evaluation Form is on 21 September 2023 at the Airfare Reimbursement Counter at the Buyers Lounge from 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
8. The release of reimbursement to the Fully-Hosted Buyer is on the last day of TRAVEX, 21 September 2023, at the Airfare Reimbursement Counter at the Buyers Lounge, from 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM.

 

TRANSPORTATION AND AIRPORT ASSISTANCE

Provision of airport assistance and transportation throughout the event for all approved hosted Buyers:

 

1. Transportation (airport-official hotels) and airport courtesies upon arrival in Manila and/or Cebu from 16 to 19 September 2023.
2. Transportation to and from official function venues on 20 and 21 September 2023.
3. Transportation (official hotels-airport) during departure in Manila and/or Cebu from 22 to 28 September 2023.

 

In the preparation of the logistical requirements of the Airport and Transportation Committees, kindly submit your complete flight details by accessing the link https://cvent.me/ZKB4xa?RefId=BUYER and modifying your registration.

 

The deadline for submission of flight details is on

09 September 2023 (Saturday) at 11:59 PM Manila time.

MEALS

Provision of meals from 19 to 21 September 2023, or until 27 September 2023 if joining the post-event tours:

1. Full board meals will only be provided during the event proper on 19 September (Pre-Event Tour), 20-21 September (TRAVEX, Welcome Dinner, and Networking Cocktails), and 22-27 September 2023 (Post-Event Tours);
2. Meals before the Pre-Event Tour and after the Post-Event Tours, only breakfast will be provided along with the hosted accommodation.

DELEGATE’S KIT

Provision of Buyer’s delegate kit which includes:

1. Access badge for the event;
2. Digital Directory of the Philippine Sellers; and
3. Business Appointment Schedule for Day 1 and Day 2 of TRAVEX

INTERPRETERS

Provision of interpreters for the B2B meetings from 09:00 AM to 06:00 PM on 20-21 September 2023:

1. Mandarin
2. Korean
3. Japanese

OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS

Invitation to official event functions:

1. Welcome Dinner on 20 September 2023; and
2. Networking Cocktails/Closing Ceremony on 21 September 2023

TOURS

Invitation to join the Pre-Event Tour on 19 September 2023 and Post-Event Tours from 22-27 September 2023:

 

Pre-Tour:

19 September 2023

1. Cebu Countryside Tour (Suroy-Suroy)
2. Cebu City Tour with Properties Inspection

 

Post-Tour:

22 – 24 September 2023

1. Arts and History, in the City of the Old and the New (Manila and Rizal)

 

22 – 26 September 2023

1. Dine and Drive (Pampanga and La Union)
2. Wellness and Fun Dive (Coron, Palawan)
3. Culinary, Culture, and Heritage (Ilocos Region)
4. Triple F (Faith, Farm, Fun) (Cebu and Negros Oriental)

 

22 – 27 September 2023

1. Nature and Adventure (Davao, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro)
2. Triple C (Calm, Culture, Culinary) (Romblon and Boracay)

 

• All Post-Event tours will conclude in Manila.
• The PHITEX Tours Committee will be covering the domestic air tickets from Cebu to the destination and to Manila at the end of the tour.
• Provision of overnight accommodation in Manila after the tour.
• Post-Event Tour participants are encouraged to book their return flight departing from Manila a day after the end of their tour module. (e.g., If your tour module ends on 27 September 2023, book your return flight departing Manila on 28 September 2023.)
• Further details regarding the tours like itinerary, what to bring, and other reminders will be disseminated by the Tours Committee per tour module.

 

For concerns and other clarifications, you may contact the following PHITEX 2023 Committees:

 

(Business Meeting Appointments and General Concerns)

Buyers Committee – [email protected]

 

(Airfare Reimbursement Concerns)

Airfare Reimbursement Committee – [email protected]

 

(Pre-Event and Post-Event Tour Concerns)

            Tours Committee – [email protected]

 

IV. CODE OF CONDUCT
A. Registered Buyers should not sell any tourism products to any registered Seller during the event.
B. Buyers are not allowed to refuse an appointment request from Sellers if the Buyers have vacant slot/s.
C. Must observe proper business etiquette at all times.
D. In case of NO SHOW Seller, the Buyer may meet with an available Seller.
E. For any business networking-related concerns, you may reach out to the TRAVEX Marshalls or email the Buyer’s Committee at [email protected].