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PHITEX 2021 In Subic

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Amid the pandemic, the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) 2021 is now in full swing as a hybrid event for the second year. The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the Department of Tourism’s marketing and promotions arm, will host PHITEX from September 20 to 23 at the ACEA Subic Beach Resort in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, with the theme “Beyond Business: Co-creating Safe, Smart, and Sustainable Tourism.”

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Photo courtesy: PHITEXT 2021

The opening ceremony was presided over by DOT Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, and SBMA Administrator Atty. Wilma T. Eisma welcomed 156 Filipino sellers and 122 buyers from 33 countries to a two-day online business-to-business (B2B) session and networking event.

PHITEX 2021 also provides onsite attendees bespoke post-tours in bubble arrangements highlighting the best of Region III’s tourism sites, including the Batalan River, Grande Island, Pamulaklakin, El Kabayo, and Apaliin, among others.

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Photo courtesy: PHITEXT 2021

Before the main event, PHITEX attendees, tourism students, and TPB members could participate in an educational webinar called “PHITEX Educational Program (PEP) Talk,” which included industry professionals and covered themes like digital media and tourism in the new normal.

In her introductory remarks, Secretary Puyat emphasized the topic of PHITEX 2021 while marketing and promoting the Philippines, saying, “our thoughts have been affected by the harmful impact of the pandemic on our industry.” Safety has risen to the top of today’s tourists’ concerns, and it’s something that the DOT, our government partners, and all Philippine tourism stakeholders carefully considered as we began the demanding process of planning the industry’s recovery”.

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Photo courtesy: PHITEXT 2021

The Secretary mentioned the Department of Transportation’s plans to vaccinate all tourism employees by 2022, use technology to market and promote tourism products, and explore community-based tourism initiatives.

The Subic Bay Freeport Zone was chosen for PHITEX 2021 because it matched the Department of Transportation’s guidelines for holding MICE events in wide-open places. The SBMA, as the Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) in charge of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, assisted in the coordination.

PHITEX 2021 is being held in strict accordance with new standard safety and health protocols and the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force requirements (IATF).

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Everyone calls me Ian. This website is about my everyday life experiences. Back in 2011, I use to write on my first blog. (www.stuckinthephilippines.blogspot.com) I started this website as a place where I can express my creative inside. I love visiting new places, listening to music and anything fun.