The Department of Tourism (DOT) is setting the stage for the 2nd Philippine-Korea Travel Exchange (PHILKOTEX) on March 13, 2008 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.

PHILKOTEX brings in over 70 pre-screened Korean tour operators to meet with their Philippine counterparts and other tourism-related establishments.

The Korean delegation will further be provided with arranged tours around the country, including Banaue, Pangasinan, Clark, Bicol, Bohol, Davao, Dumaguete, Sumilon, Cebu, Palawan, Subic and Puning.

According to Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, “We developed PHILKOTEX to provide our Philippine tourism enterprises with a venue to transact with the Korean travel trade. It also gives our Korean sellers the opportunity to experience the Philippines, helping them present the islands better to their clientele.”

“Part of our goals this year is to encourage repeat visits, especially from Korea and other leading markets. This year’s travel exchange will highlight newer packages with a wide array of activities that the Korean travel group has yet to experience,” said Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) Executive Director Daniel G. Corpuz.

The DOT expects the forthcoming PHILKOTEX to help sustain the momentum gained from last year and further strengthen the Philippines’ position as one of the top holiday destinations of choice for the Korean travel market.

Philippine tourism stakeholders interested in joining PHILKOTEX may contact PCVC at 525-7320 or 525-9318 local 240 and 243. Please coordinate with Gwendolyn Batoon or James Sy.

Korea is currently the Philippines’ leading source of tourists. A total of 653,310 visitors from Korea arrived in 2007, providing 20 percent of over-all traveler traffic.

Most Korean tourists opt for packages on golf, diving, shopping, English as Second Language (ESL) educational trips, as well as getaways specialized for honeymooners

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