MACTAN, Cebu — Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco emphasized the importance of the ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) in promoting ASEAN as a unified tourism destination. She said the event will not only showcase destinations and products but also create opportunities for local communities.

“The result of this will give livelihoods and sales to our local tourism industry. Tourism ministers from ASEAN, as well as dialogue partners like Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, and Australia, are set to visit TRAVEX,” Frasco said in an ambush interview on Wednesday.

Strategic collaboration

She added that the event also serves as a platform for collaboration, highlighting the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan, which identifies priority areas such as resilient tourism development, improved accessibility and digitalization, and diversification of tourism products with sustainability in mind.

“We see this as an opportunity to continuously push ASEAN as a unified tourism destination. The outcomes of these meetings will ensure that developments in the region follow the priorities set by our leaders, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Frasco said.

TRAVEX Highlights

The TRAVEX and the unveiling of the first-ever MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) guidebook took center stage at the opening of the 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum 2026 here.

The Tourism Promotions Board, organizer of TRAVEX, reported that 271 buyers from 50 countries, 124 Philippine sellers, and 222 ASEAN exhibitors took part in the business-to-business exchange, connecting destinations with international markets.

Tourism enterprises, tour operators, destination marketers, and buyers from ASEAN, including the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and the regional bloc’s newest member state, Timor-Leste, along with its Dialogue Partners will convene from 28 to 30 January, for negotiations, partnerships, and to discuss the future of ASEAN tourism.

Opening ceremony

Frasco led the opening ceremony, alongside Minister of Tourism of Indonesia Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, ASEAN Tourism Association President Eddy Krismeidi, Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, representatives from ASEAN member states, local officials, and dignitaries.

“TRAVEX is a platform that brings together not only destinations and products but also aspirations, partnerships, and shared responsibility for the future of tourism in our region,” Frasco said.

Recycled pavilion

And true to its promise of a life beyond Expo 2025 Osaka, the Philippine Pavilion continues its journey at the ASEAN TRAVEX 2026, where materials once presented on the global stage are reintroduced within a regional tourism trade setting.

The Philippine TRAVEX booth demonstrates sustainability as a working practice. Approximately 70 percent of the booth’s components — including rattan architectural elements and handwoven textile panels crafted by Filipino artisans — have been repurposed from the Expo Pavilion, extending the value of cultural investments while keeping community craftsmanship at the center of tourism promotion.

Cebu MICE Guidebook

The DoT and the Cebu MICE Alliance launched Cebu’s first-ever MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) guidebook to strengthen the province’s role as a hub for tourism-driven economic growth. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, TPB chief operating officer Marga Nograles, and Cebu MICE Alliance president Cleofe Albiso led the unveiling during ASEAN TRAVEX.

Developed by the Cebu MICE Alliance and printed by the DoT, the guidebook offers essential information on venues, accommodations, destination experiences, service providers, and support infrastructure, serving as a practical tool for event planners worldwide.

Frasco praised the initiative, highlighting that “Cebu’s strength as a MICE destination lies in its award-winning international airport, strong air connectivity, world-class hotels and convention facilities, and vibrant local culture — from beaches and island adventures to festivals and warm Filipino hospitality.”

The alliance noted that Cebu’s MICE tourism is rapidly growing and projected to contribute an estimated P1 billion to the local economy by 2029.

The event also features six curated complimentary post-ASEAN tours, allowing delegates to explore the Philippines’ wealth of destinations — from pristine beaches and island resorts to vibrant gastronomy, cultural, and heritage sites, including some of the country’s top tourist destinations like Clark, Pampanga, and Manila, Bohol, Davao, Dumaguete, Siquijor, and Coron and El Nido in Palawan.