The Department of Tourism (DoT) has given assurances that preparations for the upcoming ASEAN Travel Expo and the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 both of which will take place in Cebu province in January, are on track.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Wednesday convened the organizational meeting of the ASEAN National Organizing Council which is headed by Mrs. Marcos, and the preparations for the Philippines’ hosting of ASEAN events in 2026.

“Next year, 2026 will open with the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cebu, the biggest tourism gathering in the region. All preparations are underway for tourism hospitality, tours, events, and site enhancements that reflect the creativity and warmth of the Filipino people. We are ready to show the world the many reasons for falling in love with the Philippines,” said Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco in a Facebook post.

Venues are now ready

Meanwhile, in a separate ambush interview during the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Department of Tourism and global payments card, Visa, in Makati City yesterday, Frasco said the venues are now ready to receive ASEAN delegates during the said events.

“The DoT specifically is designated to handle hospitality, cultural events, tours, and the like. Our preparations for that have already begun and are continuing together with our other member government agencies, as well as our coordination with our local government units and stakeholders. For Cebu, the ASEAN Travel Expo (Travex) will occur during the last week of January,” she said.

The ASEAN Tourism and Travel Expo is in conjunction with the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, to be attended by the ASEAN delegates.

“I have instructed the Tourism Promotions Board, which is handling the travel exchange, to ensure that we can maximize opportunities for leads and earnings for our tourism stakeholders and those who will participate in the forum. We are trying to target as many buyers as possible, as well as sellers,” she said.

Tourism Ministers Meeting

Meanwhile, Frasco said the main goal of the DoT is to successfully launch the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Action Plan, for which the Philippines serves as the country coordinator.

“For the part of the Philippines, we are looking for regional cooperation for the ASEAN as one tourism destination for sustainability, tourism development, and to make sure that the manner by which we value tourism is not limited to physical count of visitors alone, but more of the valuation of tourism in terms of livelihood, economy and ability to sustain local economies of our destination,” she explained.

Events to benefit Cebu hotels

The said events would benefit hotels and accommodations in Cebu, particularly those owned by Megaworld Hotels and Nustar.

After the deadly earthquake and the flooding brought about by typhoon “Tino” in Cebu in the past months, Frasco said due diligence have been conducted by the government in checking the properties identified as ASEAN event venues.

“They just sustained minor damages, including the façade for certain areas, and these have been resolved,” she stated.