Starting on June 16, 2024, the Singapore-based low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia (3K) will resume direct flights from Singapore to Clark, offering four weekly return services. This frequency will increase to five weekly services starting on October 18, 2024. The route will be operated on Jetstar Asia’s growing fleet of Airbus A320s and supported by Jetstar Asia’s significant recruitment drive aimed at meeting the growing demand for travel within the region. Jetstar Asia CEO, John Simeone said the move reinforced Jetstar Asia’s commitment to expanding their Southeast ..read more

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM) are collaborating to orchestrate a series of programs and events for Filipino Food Month (FFM) 2024, themed “Kalutong Filipino, Lakas ng Kabataang Makabago.” This year’s FFM celebrations are designed to engage and empower the youth, positioning them as advocates for Philippine culinary heritage and gastronomy. In accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 469 signed in 2018, April is designated as FFM or Buwan ng Kaluto ..read more

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) took a significant stride towards enriching its membership program with the unveiling of the Enhanced TPB Membership Program at the Luxent Hotel on March 12, 2024. Under Republic Act No. 9593, the Tourism Act of 2009, TPB extends its membership to entities, groups, and individuals with vested interests in the realms of travel trade, congresses, and conventions. As of the end of 2023, TPB boasted a burgeoning membership of 859 from across the nation. During the event, TPB’s Chief Operating Officer, Marga Nograles, expressed her solidarity with TPB. “In my shor ..read more

Newport World Resorts Chief Marketing Officer David Jorden and AirAsia MOVE Head of Ecosystem and Partnerships Lim Ben-Jie sign a deal for an epic partnership. AirAsia MOVE (formerly airasia Superapp) and Newport World Resorts (NWR) announced a strategic partnership that allows members of NWR’s Epic Rewards program to convert Epic Points to AirAsia Points, making way for exciting travel and lifestyle opportunities for its members. Through this partnership, NWR Epic Rewards Cardholders can seamlessly convert their points to AirAsia Points via AirAsiaMOVE. For as low as 800 Epic Points, you can ..read more

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday finally awarded the P171 billion contract to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the group of San Miguel Corp. This was announced by the Department of  Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista in a press briefing yesterday. Bautista said that the DOTr issued the notice of award to the SMC SAP Company Consortium. The DOTr said the NAIA privatization is three decades and six administrations in the making, starting from the PIATCO-Fraport attempt to put NAIA under a public-private partners ..read more

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), made significant strides in advancing Philippine tourism on a global scale in 2023.  Generating over 6 Billion Pesos in negotiated sales leads, TPB organized and participated in various trade and consumer events in the Philippines and across the globe. These showcased the Philippines as a world-class tourism and Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) destination to contribute to a total of 5.45 million tourist arrivals, which is a 105.6% increase from 20 ..read more

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco  with Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid are joined by over 200 tourism leaders and stakeholders at the inaugural PATA International Conference on Women in Travel hosted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) from 20-22 March 2024 in Bohol, Philippines. The Department of Tourism extended its full support to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) International Conference on Women in Travel, as the three-day conference successfully opened in Bohol, a captivating tourist destination. During her keynote address at the event, T ..read more

ITB Berlin Opening Ceremony Show. Artists on stage, in front of them the Royal Symphony Orchestra from the guest country Oman: the opening gala of ITB Berlin 2024 was a colorful celebration – multimedia spectacle included. Berlin, Germany — ITB Berlin opened with a highly positive outlook for the future. At the official opening ceremony on Monday evening in Berlin, all the speakers presented optimistic figures for the period immediately after the Covid pandemic. Framed by a spectacular multimedia show, they also appealed for tourism to exploit its bridge-building potential in a world that was ..read more

The Philippines gears up for the global diving community’s grand gathering at the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2024, scheduled today, February 23 to 25, 2024 at the World Trade Center Manila in Pasay City.   With the theme “Heart of Asia’s Diving: Collaboration for the Ocean Community,” the event, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism (DOT), has evolved into the Philippines’ largest platform for diving enthusiasts, industry experts, and stakeholders.  Established by the DOT in 2019, PHIDEX stands out as the sole event in the region with a Dive Travel Exchange (TRAVE ..read more

Tourism industry veteran Roberto “Bob” Zozobrado officially assumed the role of General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), an attached agency of the Department Tourism (DOT), in an oath-taking ceremony officiated by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco during the agency’s special meeting on Thursday (Feb. 15) at the DOT Central Office.  Zozobrado, renowned for his extensive experience in the tourism industry, has held various roles in the aviation and hospitality sectors. He is a columnist, and was a former public relations specialist, d ..read more