Maria M. Montemayor Nograles, COO Philippines TPB : “Cebu is ready to host the ASEAN Travel Forum”

From January 28 to 30, 2026, Cebu is due to host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), the region’s flagship annual gathering for tourism ministers, national tourism organizations, and key industry leaders from the ten ASEAN member states.

As one of Southeast Asia’s most influential tourism events, ATF serves as a platform for policy dialogue, regional cooperation, and strategic planning to strengthen ASEAN’s collective tourism industry.

For the Philippines, hosting ATF is a powerful opportunity to reinforce its standing as a premier leisure and MICE destination, spotlighting Cebu’s rich culture, world-class hospitality, and diverse attractions. Especially following a strong earthquake on the island at the end of September.

A major highlight is TRAVEX, which creates vital business links by connecting Philippines tourism suppliers with international buyers, investors, and global travel partners.

At WTM London 2025, Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, COO of the Philippines Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), told in exclusivity for Travelmole about the coming ATF, its importance for Philippines tourism and the recovery of Cebu.

How is the situation in Cebu right now, following the tsunami? Do you think Cebu will be ready to host the ASEAN Travel Forum?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – We will definitely be ready to host the next ATF in January. From what we saw during our visit two weeks ago, things are largely back in place. I spoke with our secretary for tourism on the way to London. She pointed out that when typhoons hit, the damage wasn’t uniform across the Visayas islands. It’s not as though all of Cebu is affected equally—some areas were unfortunately hit harder than others.

Are you meanwhile confident that Mactan is safe?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – For now, yes. I still want to double-check, but so far, things look stable in Mactan. And Cebu City itself ? It’s okay. So, yes, we intend to go ahead with the ATF in Cebu.

Do you see this as a strong opportunity to showcase Cebu to the world, to say: “It’s fine — we’re ready”?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – Absolutely. If ever there were a time to put the spotlight back on Cebu, it’s now ! The region needs that support more than ever, and this event could send a powerful message.

Will your campaign focus on Cebu specifically? Are you planning a global or regional push to promote Cebu and the other islands affected by the typhoon?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – For ATF, yes — we are positioning our promotions into Cebu. We’re really excited to host there, and we’re actively preparing.

What kind of campaign are you planning for 2026? Will you highlight any special themes or destinations next year?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – We’re continuing with our award-winning destinations and hidden gems. The narrative stays largely the same — we’re just working to enhance and strengthen what we already have.

I noticed the figures aren’t as strong this year as in the last two. Why isn’t the Philippines performing as well in tourism this year?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – It’s a good question. It is true that foreign tourist arrivals -including overseas Filipinos- are slightly down at -2.3% compared to 2024 from January to October. We experience weaknesses from some Asian markets such as China, Indonesia, South Korea or Vietnam. But Europe, North America and Australia perform very well.

Honestly, our tourism receipts are still at record highs. At our big travel fairs — like the PTM, the Philippine Travel Exchange, and MICE Connect — we’ve seen the biggest turnout ever. I really believe it’s just a matter of timing. The visitors will come. Our job at the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) is to keep going, but with sharper targeting. We want to understand which markets we can reach. And then tailor our promotions for those markets.

So you’ll be adjusting your messaging by region — Europe wants different things than Asia, for instance?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – Exactly. Right now, data is crucial. We’re investing in gathering data so we can promote the products that each market actually wants.

In terms of air connectivity, what’s your wish? Are you working with airlines to develop new routes?

Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles – Actually, route development falls more under the DOT (Department of Tourism) than the TPB. Their routing office handles that side. But at TPB, we do joint promotions with airlines that already fly here. We saw this year a number of new direct flights launching such as Air France or Air India, to name a few. Our role is to partner with these airlines to help ensure their planes are filled.