Pasay city: Philippine-based tour operators remain resilient and continue to innovate to generate travel activities across the country amid the ongoing oil crisis, the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) said on Friday. Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) in Pasay City, PHILTOA President Maria Lourdes Japson emphasized that tour operators are maintaining their bookings despite disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.
According to Philippines News Agency, Japson highlighted that the tourism industry, particularly tour operators and travel agencies, have demonstrated resilience, having learned lessons from the pandemic. The global oil crisis, she noted, is another challenge that showcases the industry's adaptability. Despite rising airfare costs, tour operators are finding innovative ways to maximize tourism arrivals without solely relying on flights.
Tour operators are intensifying efforts to attract tourists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market while continuing to target long-haul arrivals. Japson mentioned that PHILTOA is collaborating with counterparts from fellow ASEAN states to support the broader region's tourism sector. This includes exploring possible thematic circuits like the 'weaves of ASEAN' to highlight Southeast Asia's textiles, or the 'faith of ASEAN' to attract travelers interested in learning about the region's diverse religions.
Creativity in targeting specific markets is essential, Japson noted, with a strategy that includes encouraging stopovers in other ASEAN countries to facilitate travel to the Philippines. She emphasized the importance of innovative packaging, as tour operators and travel agencies are at the forefront of facilitating travel transactions.
The 2026 PTM opened at the SMX Convention Center, running from September 4 to 6, and was led by PHILTOA. The event features at least 310 booths offering discounted travel packages to various local and international destinations. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay, who attended the opening, underscored the Department of Tourism's (DOT) support for domestic tourism and efforts to develop destinations beyond traditional attractions.
Angara-Mathay emphasized that the tourism industry being built for future generations must be both bigger and better. She noted that travelers are increasingly seeking experiences beyond typical attractions, desiring to taste local food, meet local people, learn traditions, and experience destinations in a more personal manner. Consequently, the DOT has been diversifying its offerings to meet these demands.
In addition to PHILTOA member tour operators, the event features DOT regional offices from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, providing visitors with an overview of Philippine travel offerings. The Capiz booth offers a high-tech visual exploration of the province through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), while the Cordilleras booth provides free tastings of the different kinds of coffee grown in the region. Meanwhile, the Calabarzon booth highlights pet-friendly destinations in Southern Tagalog, catering to travelers who enjoy vacationing with their pets.
