The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) which is mounting its annual Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) both online and offline, is confident it would still be able to generate the same sales revenues it has been generating the past years of about P700 million, according to its chief operating officer Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones.
But this is far below the original pre-new coronavirus disease 2019 target of P3 billion.
Allones said this year’s PHITEX to be held September 22 to 24 is also unique as it is a pre-selling event and is preparatory for the reopening of tourism.
Allones said the hybrid PHITEX will have 350 delegates of which less than 100 will be in Bohol and of which 50 are sellers.
Of the 350, 125 are confirmed buyers from 33 countries mostly from opportunity markets that include Slovenia, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
This year’s theme is “PHITEX Pivots: Business Unusual.”
“Amid the immense challenges for the tourism industry, TPB is leveraging on digital technology as a platform to sustain and explore new opportunities and markets,” Allones said.
“With this e-conference setup, we endeavor to update our tourism market stakeholders from all over the world with the latest Philippine tourism offerings.”
Panglao in Bohol is being highly considered by the Department of Tourism as one of the first islands to reopen to international tourists once travel restrictions are eased.
