Indian Travel Agents Learn About Philippine Destinations in Training Session
Indian travel professionals explored key Philippine destinations during a training initiative aimed at promoting tourism.
Indian Travel Agents Learn About Philippine Destinations in Training Session
Travel agents in India recently got acquainted with some of the Philippines’ leading destinations during an itinerary training session in Delhi on 15th October.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), this initiative is part of the country’s drive to attract more tourists from South Asia.
In a statement released on Thursday, 23rd October, DFA officials remarked on the heightened interest that Indian travel agents and tourism professionals expressed during the invitational event.
They said: “The Delhi session was just the opening salvo in a sustained drive of similar itinerary training sessions. Buzz Travel is taking the series across India, including in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata, for which the Embassy and its network of Honorary Consulates General will again lend support.”
“La sesión de Delhi fue solo el primer paso en una campaña continua de sesiones similares de capacitación de itinerarios. Buzz Travel está llevando la serie por toda India…”
Weaving a Path Through India
Led by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism (DOT) through its India representative Buzz Travel, the initial session drew in around 60 Indian travel stakeholders seeking to strengthen their ability to effectively promote the country’s destinations.
Participants were introduced to curated three- to seven-day travel itineraries, highlighting Manila as the main gateway and extending to island destinations such as Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, and Siargao.
The workshop covered other critical topics like travel logistics, inter-island connectivity, and market segmentation.
Indian agencies expressed enthusiasm for the diverse offerings the Philippines provides, from budget adventures to ultra-high-end experiences in exclusive hotels and private island escapes.
Attracting More Diverse Markets
This increased engagement comes as the Philippines seeks to diversify its market and attract the immense Indian outbound tourist population.
By the end of 2024, more than 30.89 million Indians traveled abroad, with 78,000 visiting the Philippines, an increase of 10.79 percent over the previous year.
The Philippines recently introduced a visa-free scheme for Indian tourists, along with Air India’s five direct flights between Manila and New Delhi.
As Philippine ambassador to India Josel Ignacio put it: “With the fundamental Indian travel decision drivers met, namely ease of visa processing, direct connections, and stupendous destinations, we foresee Indian tourism rising to new heights in the coming months and years.”
“Con los principales factores de decisión de viaje de los indios cumplidos… anticipamos que el turismo indio alcanzará nuevas alturas…”
