MACTAN, Cebu—The ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) and the unveiling of the first-ever MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) event have taken center stage at the opening of the 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum 2026 here.

According to the Tourism Promotions Board, the organizer of TRAVEX, 271 buyers from 50 countries, 124 Philippine sellers, and 222 ASEAN exhibitors joined the business-to-business exchange to connect 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 Jan. 28 to 30 for negotiations, partnerships, and discussions on the future of ASEAN tourism.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco led the opening ceremony, alongside Indonesian Minister of Tourism 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, all united by a shared regional vision—to promote ASEAN as a unified tourism destination.

“The result of this would give livelihoods and sales to our local tourism industry. Tourism ministers from the ASEAN region, as well as ASEAN +3 dialogue partners, namely Japan, China, and South Korea, and two other nations, Russia and Australia, are set to visit the TRAVEX,” said Frasco in an ambush interview on Wednesday.

Frasco added that 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 the region.

“Also, through the Ministerial Meetings of the ASEAN Tourism Forum, we are engaging in collaborative discussions for the launch and implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan, in which we identified the priority areas for each ASEAN member state in terms of development,” she said.

Priority areas include resilient tourism development, improved accessibility and digitalization, diversification of tourism products, and sustainable tourism development.

“We continue to see this as an opportunity to continuously propound the aspiration for ASEAN as a unified tourism destination, and the result of these meetings will ensure that developments within the region are consistent with the priorities identified by our respective leaders, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr,” she said.

Organized as part of the broader ATF, TRAVEX 2026 serves as a primary hub for buyers to assess products from various ASEAN destinations, while allowing sellers to engage with potential buyers through pre-scheduled appointments, facilitating business-to-business connections.

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 such as Clark, Pampanga, and Manila; Bohol; Davao; Dumaguete; Siquijor; and Coron and El Nido in Palawan.

Recycling award-winning Phl Pavilion

True to its promise of a life beyond Expo 2025 Osaka, the Philippine Pavilion continues its journey at 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.

MICE Guide Book

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Cebu MICE Alliance launched Cebu’s first-ever guidebook in a bid to strengthen the province’s MICE industry, reinforcing Cebu’s role as a key driver of tourism-led economic growth.

Secretary Frasco, TPB Chief Operating Officer Marga Nograles, and Cebu MICE Alliance President Cleofe Albiso led the unveiling of the Cebu MICE Guide.

The launch came on the sidelines of ASEAN TRAVEX.

Developed by the Cebu MICE Alliance and printed by the DoT, the guidebook contains key information on the island province’s venues, accommodations, destination experiences, service providers, and support infrastructure, serving as a practical resource and pitch for event planners and organizers worldwide.

In 2024, the regional alliance of line agencies and tourism-allied industries noted that MICE tourism in Cebu is rapidly growing and “is poised to make a significant economic impact, contributing an estimated Php 1 billion to Cebu’s economy by 2029.”

Tourism Secretary Frasco lauded the Cebu MICE Alliance for developing the guidebook, emphasizing that the initiative not only promotes the province as a premier destination for international engagements but also empowers communities and local stakeholders.

"Cebu's strength as a MICE destination lies in the depth and balance of what it offers. It is anchored by an award-winning international airport, strong air connectivity, and efficient access to venues and accommodations. It is supported by world-class hotels, convention and exhibition facilities, including this venue. Beyond the meeting room, Cebu offers beaches and island diversity, world-class diving, living culture, vibrant festivals, and a tradition of warm Filipino hospitality that consistently distinguishes the Cebu experience," said Secretary Frasco.