Prominent sports and tourism officials and key stakeholders will be in attendance when the Sports Tourism Forum opens at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga this Friday.

Organized by Sports Turismo Alliance Inc., the one-day forum will bring together some of the major stakeholders in the sports and tourism industry from various national sports associations and clubs, local government units, hotel and resort executives, event organizers, sports facility managers and corporate sponsors from all over the country.

Strongly supporting the call of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to make sports events a catalyst to boosting tourism in the country, Sports Turismo Alliance Inc. has intensified its role in organizing a series of fora with the support of the Department of Tourism (DoT) headed by Secretary Christina Frasco.

“The Philippines is off the starting blocks to prove itself as a great sports host country. International sporting events such as the FIBA World Cup in 2023, the recently concluded FIVB World Championship and the forthcoming FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup, are great testimonies of our capability and popularity as a sports hub,” said Charles Lim, president and chief executive officer of Sports Turismo Alliance Inc. as well as founder and chairman of the Philippine Sports Tourism Awards.

A powerhouse panel of international and local speakers, headed by the President of the International Children’s Games, Igor Topole, will be in attendance to intensify the country’s thrust in sports tourism. 

Other speakers invited include Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, Taiwan Ministry of Education sports administrator Maggie Hsu, Sunrise Events Inc. general manager Princess Galura, Milo Marathon program director Carlo Sampan and DoT director Robby Alabado.