Palawan is taking its tourism industry to Cebu in October, targeting P6 million to P7 million in direct sales from a three-day travel and trade expo as the province seeks to turn destination interest into actual business for its tourism enterprises.

The Palawan World’s Best Island Travel and Trade Expo 2026, set for 23 to 25 October at Ayala Center Cebu, will bring together hotels, resorts, tour operators, transport providers and other tourism enterprises from Palawan with travel agencies, corporate clients, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) buyers and consumers.

The provincial government is mounting the event with the Palawan Tourism Council (PTC) under the theme ‘Beyond Paradise: Connecting Islands, Creating Opportunities.’

The direct-sales target is based on the results of last year’s expo at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City, where participating businesses generated more than P4 million in actual sales during the event alone.

That figure did not include additional sales and bookings that came from leads generated during the expo and converted after the event.

For organizers, the results provided evidence that the expo can serve as more than a destination-marketing exercise. It can also create a direct commercial platform for Palawan’s hotels, resorts, tour operators and other tourism businesses.

This year’s event is targeting 8,000 visitors, 60 buyer companies and 250 business appointments, alongside the P6 million-P7 million direct-sales goal.

It will also be the first time in 11 years that Palawan will bring its flagship travel and trade expo outside Metro Manila.

At a press conference, Gov. Amy Roa Alvarez said the province needs to bring its tourism products closer to the markets that can generate business for local enterprises.

“Tourism and agriculture are what keep this province running, so we have to keep bringing Palawan to where the market is,” Alvarez said.

PTC president Rey Felix “Rix” Rafols said the objective is not simply to increase visitor numbers but to ensure that tourism spending reaches local businesses and communities.

“We want a tourism that is available for everybody. But also, we want a tourism that benefits every Palaweño,” Rafols said.

Palawan recorded 2.13 million visitor arrivals in 2025, generating an estimated P65.51 billion in tourism receipts and visitor spending, according to provincial tourism data. Foreign travelers accounted for 48 percent of arrivals.