Philippines bags P1.18-B in potential deals at Arabian Travel Market 2025
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines secured P1.18 billion worth of potential deals and partnerships at the Arabian Travel Market 2025, as part of the government’s efforts to promote Muslim-friendly accommodations, the Department of Tourism’s marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), said.
The Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s leading business-to-business travel exhibition, was held from April 28 to May 1 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
The Philippine delegation was composed of 21 private sector exhibitors that showcased the country’s “must-visit locations and curated experiences.”
These included travel and tour operators, hotels, resorts and airlines from the Philippines, such as New World Makati Hotel, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, The Lind Hotels, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Quasar Travel & Tours.
This year’s event brought together more than 2,800 exhibitors from 166 countries and drew over 55,000 visitors, showcasing some 3,000 tourism products and destinations from around the world.
According to the TPB, the P1,180,101,832 in sales leads secured this year marks a 233% increase from the deals recorded in 2024.
“This milestone represents the highest sales achievement ever from this event, signaling renewed global interest and confidence in Philippine tourism,” it said in a statement.
The four-day exhibition also featured business-to-business meetings at the 129-square-meter Philippine Pavilion, where the country forged new partnerships focused on beach leisure, family holidays and halal tourism for travelers from the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and other regions.
At the event, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the Philippines is ready to welcome more visitors, especially from the Middle East and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as part of efforts to strengthen tourism ties.
She described the Philippines as not just a destination for luxury, but a place where travelers can also find a sense of belonging.
“The Middle East and GCC are not just important markets for us, they are true partners in building a future of sustainable, inclusive, and meaningful tourism,” she said.
TPB Chief Operating Officer Marga Nograles added that the Philippines is eager to serve the dynamic Middle East market, where families desire to enrich their experiences and experience cultural immersion.
“To meet this demand, our Philippine delegation is ready to curate unique journeys for different kinds of travelers in the Middle East and to promote the dynamic destinations found within our 7,641 islands,” she said.
Aside from the DOT and TPB, the Philippine delegation was also spearheaded by Special Envoy for Trade and Investments Kathryna Yu-Pimentel and Special Envoy for Culture and Arts Karen Santos.
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