At least 183 prominent travel wholesalers and tour operators from 27 countries worldwide are joining the Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) 2009 to see which of the archipelago’s tourism destinations, products and services they can offer to their clients back home.

They will be in Manila for the Phitex 2009 slated at the SMX Convention Center on September 2 to 4.

These Phitex participants are coming from Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Middle East, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

Organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT) through its marketing arm Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC), Phitex is an annual marketing event designed to globally strengthen the country’s tourism brand and encourage local participants to promote affordable and competitive tourism packages.

“Phitex ’09 involves educational seminars on foreign markets for local sellers, pre-event tours for foreign buyers, and a one full-day of pre-arranged meetings where both groups transact business individually,” explained DoT Secretary Ace Durano.

“The business meetings will be held on Sept. 3 during the Travel Exchange (Travex), which is regarded as the most important part of Phitex.  A total of 28 pre-scheduled appointments will be given each delegate for the table top discussions during the Travex,” Durano said.

The foreign buyers will also visit the Philippine Travel Mart at the SM Megamall to view the country’s tourism exhibits, according to DOT Undersecretary Edu Jarque.

“With the theme ‘Explore, Experience … The Philippines is made to be traveled!,’ Phitex 2009 showcases the country’s unique attractions and destinations and the many exciting activities they offer,” Jarque said.

Poised to meet with the foreign buyers during Travex are 190 delegates from 109 Philippine seller companies, 136 of whom are from hotels and resorts, 45 from tour operators, four from airlines, and five from various others.

“But considering the significant number of delegates, additional business appointments may be set ‘unofficially’ during the breaks and various social functions throughout the event,” Durano pointed out.

The business meetings, according to Durano, are the ones that generate significant tourist volume from foreign countries, “where the Philippine tourism brand gets promoted directly over the counter or at the POS (point of sale)” to consumers globally.

“In effect, the foreign buyers conduct the onsite consumer marketing for us in their respective countries,” Durano explained as he invited members of the local tourism industry to join Phitex 2009.

The event is supported by the Philippine Airlines, Philippine Tour Operators Association, Philippine Travel Agencies Association, Hotel Sales Managers Association, SMX Convention Center, OKSpinoy.com, and the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Pan Pacific Hotel, Traders Hotel, Heritage Hotel, Diamond Hotel, and Hyatt Hotel & Casino as official hotels.

More information can be obtained from the Phitex 2009 Secretariat of the PCVC (tel. 5257320, 5259318 to 27 local 263 and 258; email phitex2009@dotpcvc.gov.ph; or website www.wowpinoy.net/phitex).