At least 13 hotel companies from the Philippines have registered as sellers at this year’s ASEAN Tourism Forum in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
The list includes Bluewater Resorts, Coco Beach Island Resort, Dusit Thani Manila, Fairways and Bluewater, Microtel by Wyndham, Nandana Boracay, and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.
Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, The Peninsula Manila, The Heritage Hotel Manila, The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts, Richmonde Hotels and Resorts, and Raffles and Fairmont Makati also participate as sellers.
Nine other tour operators, national tourism organizations, venue, and airline from the Philippines are listed as sellers.
The presence of a strong Philippine contingent at the ATF will help push Visit the Philippines Year 2015 to the travel trade. A Philippine night is scheduled later, where the Department of Tourism is expected to promote this year’s lineup of events.
About 300 buyers will meet with 905 sellers in 527 booths at the travel mart. During the travel exchange, sellers will meet with buyers from over 40 countries at pre-scheduled, one-on-one appointments to explore, negotiate, and ink new deals.
Buyers are bullish about tourism in ASEAN after 97.2 million international tourists visited member states in 2014, a growth of 3 percent from 2013.
“We would like to extend a warm welcome to all ATF 2015 delegates, sellers, buyers, media and trade visitors to Myanmar. I hope the meetings, discussions and conversations we will have over the next few days will be fruitful, and that at the same time, you will have the opportunity to experience for yourself Myanmar’s rich culture and biodiversity, as well as our people’s charm and hospitality,” says U Htay Aung, union minister of the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.
ATF 2015 will close on January 29 with a ceremony for handing over of the ATF flag to next year’s host, Philippines.
