The Department of Tourism (DOT) set the tone for a future-ready and investment-driven hospitality industry at the opening of Philippine Hotel Connect 2025—the country’s premier hotel investment and networking event—held at the Manila Marriott Hotel.
The summit, now in its second year, gathered over 250 of the country’s top-level hotel executives, investors, developers, and tourism leaders.
In her speech, Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco—represented by Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano at the event— underscored the Department’s transformative vision to position the Philippines as Asia’s tourism powerhouse, powered by infrastructure development, investor-friendly policies, and a globally competitive brand of Filipino hospitality.
“Visitors are staying longer, spending more, and returning more often.”
“In 2024, total tourism expenditure from both international and domestic travel reached ₱3.86 trillion. Visitors are staying longer, spending more, and returning more often. Domestic tourism, valued at over $66 billion, is now the largest in Southeast Asia,” Frasco said.
“International travelers are contributing stronger per capita spend, with a broader distribution of benefits across our regions. Tourism is no longer peripheral, but central to our national growth story,” the tourism chief added.
“By 2028, demand for hotel rooms will exceed 456,000 keys. Today, we are at just over 335,000.”
Underscoring the immense opportunity that the hotel industry has at stake, the tourism chief noted: “By 2028, demand for hotel rooms will exceed 456,000 keys. Today, we are at just over 335,000. This is your moment, to invest where growth is happening, to build where opportunity is rising, and to shape the next chapter of Philippine tourism together.”
She also credited the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) for standing firmly with DOT in defending the tourism sector from unfair narratives.
“When an inaccurate report on tourist safety made international headlines, the Department of Tourism responded swiftly and factually, working closely with partners across government and industry to correct the narrative. While HelloSafe has since issued an apology and retracted the article, the damage had already been done. We thank the Philippine Hotel Owners Association for standing with us in defense of the truth — affirming that while no destination is without challenges, sweeping generalizations do not reflect the lived realities of our communities or the quality of experiences we deliver,” Frasco said.
“To PHOA, with special mention of its President Mr. Arthur Lopez and Executive Director Benito Bengzon, Jr., thank you for standing with us, in growth, in challenge, and in the shared work of transformation. The success of Philippine tourism will never be the work of the government alone. It will always be a partnership, and that is why I stand here not only to report, but to express my deepest appreciation and my firm commitment to you,” she added.
During his Welcome Remarks, Lopez expressed his gratitude to the DOT for its continued support and collaboration with the hotel industry, “I extend my deepest appreciation to DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco for her inspiring leadership and vision for the tourism sector. Your unwavering support has motivated us to host this event for the second consecutive year.”
Tourism officials at the event included Undersecretaries Ferdinand Jumapao and Verna Buensuceso; Assistant Secretaries Czarina Zara-Loyola, Christine Joy Cari, and Sharlene Zabala-Batin; and Directors Azucena Pallugna and Alven Talisic of the DOT, and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid.
Together with Tamano and Lapid on stage at the opening forum of the program were Philippine Hotel Connect 2025 Chairperson Francis Gotianun, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco, and PHOA President Arthur Lopez.
