PH joins the world's largest travel trade fair in Berlin
How 'Love the Philippines' shines at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin
Published Mar 6, 2026 07:58 am
At A Glance
- For 2026, our country's delegation remains focused on honoring scheduled engagements, deepening partnerships, and sustaining market conversations that support the country's long-term tourism development.
LET'S GO PILIPINAS Team Philippines at the Philippine booth during the opening day of the Internationale Tourismus-Börse in Berlin, Germany.
For over four decades, the Philippines has been participating in the Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin (ITB Berlin), one of the world’s largest travel trade fairs. This year, our country returns with a continued pride in our iconic hospitality.
Leading the helm at ITB Berlin is the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB). Based on our country’s post-Covid-19 performance at the fair, the generated sales leads have gone upward. In 2023, we raised over ₱271.5 million. A year later, that figure increased by 50 percent to ₱489.1M. By 2025, the Philippine delegation recorded ₱637.4M in negotiated sales leads from 352 business meetings, a 30.31 percent increase from 2024, alongside the participation of 29 co-exhibitors representing a broad spectrum of the tourism sector.
For 2026, our country’s delegation remains focused on honoring scheduled engagements, deepening partnerships, and sustaining market conversations that support the country’s long-term tourism development. On the opening day, Philippine sellers met with international buyers with discussions spanning leisure programs, emerging regional circuits, and itineraries shaped by evolving ecotourism expectations. These talks tackled market interest in responsible travel practices, community-based experiences, and environmental priorities that continue to gain prominence in the global travel landscape.
“Our approach to ITB Berlin today advances a more balanced narrative,” shares TPB Philippines Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles. “We highlight the beauty of our destinations, and our commitment to sustainability, community participation, and long-term value creation. That alignment is central to our engagement with European partners.”
QUALITY SERVICE The Manila Hotel VP for sales and marketing Marvin Kim Tan joins the Philippine delegation in representing our country's endearing hospitality.
How do we gain more visitors?
Participation in international travel markets allows for a continued growing interest from foreign markets. By showing what we have to offer, we entice foreign travel agencies and businesses to invest more in our country as a favored tourism destination. Though these discussions will only do good if our local tourism efforts can surpass the expectations we give. First, we must find a way to encourage domestic tourism. What better ambassador is there than our very own people? By making domestic tourism more accessible and affordable for the average Filipino household, we enable our own people to freely talk about how much they love visiting our own destinations. Cheaper domestic airfares, lower rates for local travelers, and accessible public transportation are just some of the simple ways we can achieve this.