Capping her official visit to Boracay, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco made sure to give a warm Filipino welcome to the participants of the Connections Luxury 2024, in a meet and greet opportunity at the Crimson Resort & Spa Boracay, one the host venues of the two-day event, together with Shangri-La Resort Boracay.
“In behalf of our government, of the Republic of the Philippines, I welcome all of you to the Philippines. I understand that our delegates for Connections Luxury have come from 17 countries from all over the globe and, therefore, we wish to extend our deepest gratitude for your presence here, as well as the Connections Luxury, for your partnership in promoting and believing in the Philippines,” Frasco said before the over 35 luxury buyers and 35 Philippine luxury sellers composed of airline, hotels and resorts, and tour operators present at the event.
Over 35 luxury buyers and 35 Philippine luxury sellers composed of airlines, hotels and resorts, and tour operators present at the event.
The tourism chief shared the DOT’s successful groundbreaking of the first hyperbaric chamber center in Boracay, which seeks to enhance the quality of dive safety in the island, as well as to elevate its wellness tourism draw, with hyperbaric chambers being utilized for wellness treatments.
The tourism head also noted the visit from the prestigious group to Boracay as timely, with the island’s recent nomination as Asia’s Leading Luxury Destination by the World Travel Awards.
“We wish for the world to get to know the Philippines, not only from the lens of our award-winning beaches and destinations of which we have many, including Boracay, but also from the lens of the heart and soul of the Filipino.”
“We welcome this partnership from Connections Luxury, for it falls very well in line with the vision of our President of transformation for the Philippines, that is to elevate the quality of tourism offerings for the country, focusing on purposeful, immersive, and experiential travel that is under the umbrella of sustainable tourism development. We wish for the world to get to know the Philippines, not only from the lens of our award-winning beaches and destinations of which we have many, including Boracay, but also from the lens of the heart and soul of the Filipino-from our culture, our traditions, our local communities, our food, and the many experiences that you can have here in the Philippines that adds another layer or dimension to your travel,” she stressed thanking buyers at the event.
Connections Luxury is an international private community of luxury travel decision-makers in various parts of the world, which takes pride in introducing vetted suppliers with qualified high-caliber agencies which adds huge value to their respective high-net-worth clientele.
With focus on luxury, meeting incentives, well-being, adventure, and weddings, the group operates under the Jacobs Media Group, the parent company of leading travel and hospitality media brands including Travel Weekly, The Caterer, Aspire, and Travolution.
Following the successful hosting of the Connections Wellbeing in the Philippines last April 2023 which generated around P600 million in sales leads, the Connections group made a proposal to the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the DOT’s marketing and promotions arm, for the country to host the Connections Luxury event in Asia this year which focuses on luxury travel instead of wellness.
From May 20-21, luxury buyers from key markets and Philippine luxury suppliers engaged in intimate and experiential business-to-business (B2B) setting, followed by a familiarization trip for selected buyers to some of the country’s key luxury destinations.
Frasco also acknowledged and thanked the Philippine sellers present, saying that “We are, of course, most grateful to our partners here in the Philippines who continue to push forward and champion Philippine tourism.”
The Philippine sellers at the Connections Luxury 2024 include hotels and resorts such as Anya Hotels and Resorts Corporation, Atmosphere Resort and Spa, Banwa Private Island, Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, Cauayan Island Resort, Club Paradise Palawan, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay, Discovery Primea, Discovery Samal, Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort, El Nido Resorts, Fridays Puerto Galera, Lihim Resort (Araw Hospitality), Misibis Bay Resort, Movenpick Resort and Spa, Nay Palad Hideaway, NoaNoa Private Island, NUSTAR Resort & Casino, Okada Manila Hotel, Raffles and Fairmont Makati, Shangri-La at The Fort, Shangri-la Boracay Resort, Shangri-la Boracay Resort, Sheraton Cebu, Swissotel Clark, The Ascott Limited, The Bellevue Manila, The Lind Boracay, The Peninsula Manila, The Reef Island Resort, Winford Manila Resort and Casino, Philippine Airlines from the airline sector, and tour operators: Intas Destination Management, Inc.; Rajah Tours Philippines; Sharp Travel Services Philippines, Inc.; and Universal Holidays Incorporated (UHI).
In concluding her message, Frasco shared updates on the DOT’s latest plans and programs.
“Please do rest assured that, together with the private sector, the Government of the Philippines is doing all that it can to ensure that we enhance and improve the overall travel experience of the people that we welcome here,” she said.
Under the L’s leadership, the DOT launched several inaugural initiatives, including Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs), the multi-platform Tourist Assistance Call Center, Travel Philippines mobile application, and the country’s very first Hop-on Hop-off Tours, among others.
“You’ll be happy to know that the government is also investing in infrastructure, especially in the improvement of our airport and seaport facilities. With your help and your continued collaboration, we look forward to a bright and prosperous future for Philippine tourism and know that you will always be welcomed home here in the Philippines with that distinct Filipino smile that you can only have as you vacation here in the country,” Frasco concluded.
