The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) stands as the country’s foremost government-organized travel trade event, with a legacy dating back to its establishment in 1996. The event attracts esteemed qualified buyers from around the globe, affording them the opportunity to engage in meaningful table-top business appointments with distinguished Philippine sellers. Moreover, it enables participants to experience the allure of various Philippine tourism destinations through post-event tours, all with the overarching goal of bolstering tourist arrivals in our beloved nation.
Over the years, PHITEX has emerged as a pivotal annual marketing occasion that strengthens the Philippines’ brand image and fosters a spirit of collaboration among participants in promoting affordable and competitive tourism packages.
Notably, even amid the challenges posed by the pandemic, TPB demonstrated resilience and innovation in September 2020 by hosting the PHITEX 2020 Hybrid Edition in Panglao, Bohol, an online travel trade show that opened new doors to tourism stakeholders across the globe. It offered a novel hybrid e-conference environment, facilitating the exploration of fresh opportunities and markets, while providing invaluable updates to global buyers on the latest and most enticing Philippine tourism offerings.
Building upon the momentum, PHITEX ventured outside of Metro Manila in 2021, choosing Subic as its host, and in 2022, the event made its triumphant return to Metro Manila, marking the first time since the pandemic that international buyers were able to physically attend. Coming out of the pandemic, the first purely physical PHITEX was held in Cebu in 2023, after its first hosting 16 years ago.
PHITEX Participants in the last seven (7) years:
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Buyers | 188 | 162 | 121 | 121 | 116 | 88 | 86 |
| No. of countries | 29 | 28 | 34 | 32 | 32 | 19 | 19 |
| Seller Companies | 148 | 127 | 161 | 156 | 132 | 119 | 115 |
| Seller Delegates | 235 | 194 | 345 | 156 | 206 | 164 | 115 |
| TOTAL DELEGATES | 423 | 356 | 466 | 277 | 322 | 252 | 201 |
This year, the PHITEX will be held once again in Metro Manila, targeting 60 buyers from 13 countries and 80 Philippine seller companies. The event will have a one and a half-day face-to-face Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) and a five-day Post-Event Tours for the participating buyers.