Philippine tourism officials stepped up engagement with the Spanish travel market in Barcelona, bringing together local tour operators and Philippine suppliers in a business-focused presentation aimed at expanding travel offerings to the country.
The Department of Tourism (DOT), in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona, hosted a Philippine Tourism Product Presentation on January 29 at Hotel Catalonia Plaza Catalunya, gathering around 40 Barcelona-based travel professionals for market briefings, networking, and direct business matching with Philippine tourism stakeholders.
Opening the program, Philippine Consul General to Barcelona Maria Theresa Sta. Maria Lazaro highlighted the cultural and historical links between the two countries, saying these shared ties enrich travel experiences for Spanish visitors. She also stressed the Consulate’s continued support for tour operators through collaboration, information-sharing, and promotional partnerships.
The core of the event focused on strengthening business linkages. Travel professionals received updated insights on Philippine destinations, infrastructure improvements, and emerging tourism developments through a presentation led by the DOT’s marketing arm in Spain, Comunicacion Iberoamericana, together with DOT-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Director Jovita Ganongan.
A key feature of the session was the introduction of the Philippine tourism delegation, which included resorts and destination management companies such as Amorita Resort, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, Travelite DMC Philippines, and Uni-Orient Travel and Tours. The interaction allowed Spanish tour operators to establish direct contacts, discuss tailored itineraries, and explore partnership opportunities without intermediaries.
The program also included networking sessions, one-on-one meetings, and cultural presentations, providing a platform for sustained relationship-building between Philippine suppliers and Spanish travel professionals.
For the Philippine Consulate General, the initiative reinforced its role as a bridge linking Philippine tourism stakeholders with the Spanish market, while supporting broader efforts to attract more Spanish visitors to the Philippines.
The event signals the Philippines’ growing engagement with Spain’s outbound travel sector, with tourism officials positioning the country as a culturally rich and high-value destination in Southeast Asia for Spanish travelers.