PASAY CITY, July 28, 2026 — As Philippine tourism continues to evolve, so do the expectations of today’s travelers. Beyond ticking destinations off a bucket list, many now seek authentic experiences, meaningful connections, and opportunities to contribute positively to the places they visit. These changing preferences are shaping a new era of travel—one that the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) calls “NextGen Tourism.”
This vision takes center stage at the 37th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM), the country’s longest-running travel trade exhibition and consumer fair promoting domestic tourism. Organized by PHILTOA, the three-day event will be held from September 4 to 6, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.
With “Nurturing the NextGen Tourism: Discover Your Philippines” as this year’s theme, PHILTOA reaffirms its commitment to preparing the industry for a future that is sustainable, inclusive, innovative, and responsive to the changing needs of travelers and host communities.
“‘Nurturing the NextGen Tourism: Discover Your Philippines’ is more than this year’s theme. It’s the third chapter of PHILTOA’s long-term vision for Philippine tourism,” said PHILTOA President Maria Lourdes Flor Japson.
In 2024, PHILTOA launched “Love the NextGen Tourism,” introducing a vision anchored on four pillars: Sustainability, Inclusivity, Health & Wellness, and Digitalization. Last year’s “Boosting the NextGen Tourism” focused on accelerating these initiatives through stronger partnerships, industry capacity-building, and expanded opportunities.
“This year, our mission is to ensure these initiatives take root and flourish. Like a tree that has been planted and carefully cultivated, tourism must now be continuously nurtured through collaboration, innovation, responsible leadership, and shared commitment,” Japson said.
For PHILTOA, tourism is not simply measured by visitor arrivals but by the quality of experiences created, livelihoods improved, destinations protected, and the legacy left for future generations.
The four pillars serve as PHILTOA’s strategic blueprint for a globally competitive, resilient, responsible, and future-ready tourism industry.
Sustainability promotes the protection of the country’s natural and cultural heritage while creating long-term economic opportunities for local communities.
Inclusivity ensures that tourism growth benefits MSMEs, community-based tourism enterprises, indigenous communities, emerging destinations, and tourism workers across the industry.
Health & Wellness responds to travelers seeking meaningful, transformative, and wellness-oriented journeys that enrich both body and mind.
Digitalization encourages tourism enterprises to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, smart tourism, seamless booking systems, and data-driven decision-making.
“These pillars perfectly complement PHILTOA’s flagship 4Ps Program—PHILTOA Partnering for Professionalism and Progress—which strengthens our industry through education, collaboration, innovation, and professional excellence,” Japson said.
PTM plays a key role
Now on its 37th edition, PTM has long served as one of the country’s premier travel expositions, bringing together tour operators, destinations, hotels, airlines, tourism stakeholders, and travelers under one roof.
This year’s event will feature close to 300 exhibitors from the country’s 15 regions, including Metro Manila, the Cordillera Administrative Region and BARMM, as well as participating LGUs and destinations from various parts of the country.
More than offering travel deals, PTM aims to encourage Filipinos to discover the country through responsible and meaningful experiences that benefit local communities.
Visitors can explore destinations beyond the usual tourist circuit, discover locally crafted experiences, and connect directly with tourism stakeholders offering products that reflect the evolving needs of modern travelers.
Through its 4Ps Program, PHILTOA also continues to conduct seminars, certification programs, educational forums, and industry dialogues designed to make tourism stakeholders more professional, innovative, and globally competitive.
“Our membership represents the entire tourism value chain—from travel agencies and tour operators to transport providers, accommodation establishments, attractions, destination management companies, and other tourism-related enterprises,” Japson said. “This allows PHILTOA to develop programs that benefit not just one sector but the entire tourism ecosystem.”
Connecting local tourism
Through PTM, PHILTOA provides opportunities for both established and emerging destinations to connect with buyers, showcase innovative tourism products, promote responsible travel, and encourage digital transformation.
PHILTOA also works closely with government agencies, including the Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, TIEZA, and local government units, as a partner in developing programs and initiatives that advance Philippine tourism.
“More than generating bookings, PTM serves as a national platform that creates business opportunities, strengthens partnerships, and promotes inclusive tourism growth,” Japson said.
The event gives emerging destinations the opportunity to shine alongside established tourism icons, while enabling LGUs and tourism stakeholders to showcase unique experiences directly to consumers and industry buyers.
“Every booth represents a community, every booking supports livelihoods, and every destination promoted contributes to a stronger local economy. This is PHILTOA’s commitment to ensuring that tourism growth reaches every corner of the Philippines,” she added.
Beyond attractive travel packages, PHILTOA hopes PTM visitors will leave inspired to become ambassadors of Philippine tourism by discovering new destinations, appreciating diverse cultures, supporting local businesses, and recognizing the impact of their travel choices.
“Every peso spent on local tourism creates jobs, supports families, empowers communities, and helps preserve our cultural and natural heritage,” Japson said.
Ultimately, nurturing NextGen Tourism is not solely the responsibility of tourism organizations and businesses. Travelers themselves play an important role by choosing accredited tour operators, staying in responsible accommodations, respecting local cultures, reducing their environmental impact, supporting local artisans and restaurants, hiring local guides, and exploring emerging destinations.
“In short, every journey becomes an investment in the future of Philippine tourism. The future of tourism will not simply be measured by the number of places we visit—but by the value we create along the way,” Japson concluded.
The 37th Philippine Travel Mart is made possible through the generous support of official credit card partner EastWest Bank, official airline partner Philippine Airlines, and media partners AsianTraveler, Chinoy TV, DiscoverMNL, GMA Network, Hospitality News Philippines, Lakbay Magazine, Malaya Business Insight, Manila Bulletin, The Manila Standard, Negosentro Media Group, OurAwesomePlanet, SPOT.ph, WhenInManila.com, and others to be announced.
Their continued partnership helps amplify PHILTOA’s advocacy for domestic tourism and inspire more Filipinos to embrace “Nurturing NextGen Tourism: Discover Your Philippines.”
Tickets are available onsite at SMX MOA and online through the PHILTOA website at philtoa.com.
