The more I travel, the more I realize that the best journeys are not measured by how many places I visit, but by the people I meet along the way.

Through my travels, I have seen different sides of the Philippines. I've learned from coffee farmers in Davao, experienced community-based tourism in Mayoyao, and visited mountain communities where traditions remain part of everyday life. 

Davao Coffee Tour

Mayoyao

Through Trails to Empower Kids (TREK), the volunteer organization I co-founded nearly two decades ago, I've also experienced voluntourism and seen how travel can create opportunities for underserved communities.

TREK Kibungan

These experiences taught me that tourism is not just about visiting beautiful places. It is about supporting local businesses, respecting culture, and helping communities grow. Sometimes, the most memorable destinations are not the most popular ones. They are the places where every meal is cooked by a local family, every guide proudly shares stories about their hometown, and every visitor helps create livelihoods.

That is why sustainability and inclusivity matter so much.

Sustainability means protecting the places we love so future generations can enjoy them too. It means caring for nature, preserving heritage, and supporting businesses that give back to their communities.

Inclusivity means making sure tourism benefits everyone. It gives emerging destinations, Indigenous communities, local artisans, and small businesses the chance to share their stories and welcome more visitors. Tourism should create opportunities not only for famous destinations but also for places waiting to be discovered.

Sustainability and Inclusivity are just two of the four pillars, or the 4Ps, that guide PHILTOA's NextGen Tourism campaign. The other two are Health and Wellness, which encourages travel that helps people reconnect with nature and themselves, and Digitalization, which uses technology to make travel easier while helping even small tourism businesses reach more travelers. 

I'm glad PHILTOA has chosen these priorities because they reflect the kind of tourism I hope to see more of in the Philippines. They are also at the heart of this year's 37th Philippine Travel Mart, happening from September 4 to 6 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

PHILTOA has long promoted domestic tourism while encouraging travelers to discover destinations beyond the usual favorites. I had the privilege of joining one of its familiarization tours to Misamis Occidental, where I experienced firsthand how community-based tourism can create opportunities for local businesses and residents. 

I was also fortunate to attend the Philippine Travel Mart press launch at Lakbay Museo at Ayala Malls Manila Bay. The museum brings together the country's festivals, famous landmarks, traditional houses, and cultural icons in one interactive space. It was the perfect venue because it reminds visitors just how diverse and colorful the Philippines really is.

During the launch, PHILTOA President Maria Lourdes Flor "Malou" Japson described the event as a preview of what visitors can expect at this year's Philippine Travel Mart. Carrying the theme "Nurturing NextGen Tourism," the travel fair continues PHILTOA's campaign of promoting tourism that is sustainable, inclusive, digitally empowered, and focused on the well-being of both travelers and host communities.

PHILTOA President Maria Lourdes Flor "Malou" Japson

For 37 years, the Philippine Travel Mart has encouraged Filipinos to explore the country. This year, visitors can once again expect exclusive airfare, hotel, tour, and destination deals from tourism stakeholders across the Philippines. More importantly, it offers the chance to discover new destinations, support local communities, and meet the people behind the country's tourism industry.

This year's Philippine Travel Mart brings together close to 300 exhibitors from 15 regions, including Metro Manila, the Cordillera Administrative Region, BARMM, and local government units from Agusan del Sur, Batanes, Camiguin, Capiz, Laguna, Palawan, Kalibo, Malay, Ilocos Norte, and Cotobato City. 

The event encourages Filipinos to discover destinations through experiences that are responsible, meaningful, and rooted in local communities.

Visitors can explore destinations beyond the usual tourist circuit, discover unique local experiences, and connect directly with tour operators, hotels, airlines, attractions, and tourism enterprises from across the country. For many emerging destinations, the Philippine Travel Mart is also an opportunity to introduce themselves to a wider audience.

There will also be seminars, certification programs, educational forums, and industry dialogues under its 4Ps Program. These initiatives help tourism stakeholders become more professional, innovative, and globally competitive while strengthening collaboration across the industry.

I hope more Filipinos take the time to explore our own country, not only for its beautiful destinations but also for the communities that make every journey meaningful. The upcoming Philippine Travel Mart is a great opportunity to begin that journey with purpose.