Para±aque city: The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) on Friday announced that it generated an estimated PHP133.2 million in sales leads following the successful staging of the Philippine-China Travel Exchange (PHILCHITEX) last month. The event, held in Para±aque City from June 24 to 27, brought together at least 30 Chinese travel operators, underscoring efforts to restore Chinese travel confidence in the Philippines.
According to Philippines News Agency, the PHILCHITEX event was not merely about business transactions. TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles highlighted its broader objectives, stating, "It is about creating long-term relationships, rebuilding momentum, and opening new pathways for collaboration between our tourism industries." The event began with a half-day B2B networking session, allowing Filipino and Chinese tourism stakeholders to explore opportunities for promoting multi-destination itineraries and bolstering market confidence.
Following the networking session, Chinese buyers were taken on immersive familiarization tours in Boracay and Cebu. Nograles emphasized the Philippines' commitment to ensuring safety and convenience for all foreign visitors, including Chinese tourists. "This is something we recognize clearly and take seriously. The Philippines remains fully committed to ensuring that visitors experience travel that is safe, seamless, welcoming, and rewarding from arrival to departure," she affirmed.
China remains a "key priority" market for the Philippines, especially as it gradually regains its appetite for outbound travel and spending after the Covid-19 pandemic. Between January 1 and July 1, 2026, Chinese tourist arrivals in the Philippines reached 221,747, marking a significant 64.08 percent increase from the same period last year.
This surge in arrivals was largely driven by the implementation of a 14-day visa-free entry program for Chinese nationals visiting for tourism and business, which accounted for 99.63 percent of all arrivals from China. Launched in January 2026, the program allows Chinese travelers visa-free entry to the Philippines via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu.
Travel accessibility has been further enhanced by new direct flights between the Philippines and China. As of late May, travelers can now fly directly from Chongqing, Hangzhou, and Changsha to Manila, or from Fujian to Cebu, reducing travel times to just three to four hours. "These developments, combined with the success of PHILCHITEX 2026, reinforce the Philippines' position as a highly competitive, accessible, and attractive destination for the Chinese market," stated the TPB.
