From its local roots to global recognition, the Philippines proudly took center stage at the Travel Daily Media (TDM) Travel Trade Excellence Awards Asia 2025, where the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines captured two prestigious honors. TPB’s flagship MICE Philippines 2024 campaign, “We Take Your Business to Heart,” was named Tourism Board Campaign of the Year, while its Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Marketing Enhancement Program earned the coveted Community Initiative of the Year award. Together, these accolades highlight the country’s rising influence in both business events and sustainable tourism across Asia.
His Excellency Medardo Macaraig (second from left), Philippine ambassador to Singapore, and Ms. Renee Gayle Chua (center), Second Secretary and Consul, Head of Cultural Section of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, pose with Travel Daily Media publisher Tim Charlton (left) after receiving TPB’s awards
The awards ceremony took place on November 25 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore, where Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Macaraig received the honors on behalf of TPB.
‘MICE Philippines: We Take Your Business to Heart’ is a bold branding campaign that portrays business events as deeply human experiences. It highlights the creativity of Filipino artists and the welcoming nature of service professionals, emphasizing passion, storytelling, and national pride across all aspects.
As early as 2010, TPB began laying the groundwork for an ambitious MICE initiative, envisioning a platform that would unite learning, innovation, and business generation. This vision took root in the Phil-Incentive Marketing Conference, which later evolved into the Philippine MICE Conference (MICECON). Over the years, MICECON has become one of TPB’s flagship institutional events. At this influential gathering, industry leaders, planners, and stakeholders come together to share insights, sharpen their expertise, and forge strategic partnerships.
In 2021, at the height of the pandemic’s disruption to global travel, TPB reimagined what resilience could look like for the MICE sector. The result was MICECONNECT, a dedicated hosted-buyers program designed to rebuild confidence, stimulate demand, and create direct linkages between suppliers and high-value buyers. While MICECON elevates knowledge and professional capabilities through conferences, forums, and educational sessions, MICECONNECT focuses on targeted business matching and negotiations, giving stakeholders a space to translate ideas into concrete deals. Today, the two events move in a complementary rhythm: one shapes skills and thought leadership, the other generates markets and solidifies business opportunities. Together, MICECON and MICECONNECT have become the foundational pillars that paved the way for the launch of MICE Philippines: We Take Your Business to Heart—a national banner that embodies the country’s commitment to exceptional service, heartfelt hospitality, and world-class MICE experiences.
Meanwhile, the Community Initiative of the Year award honors TPB’s Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Program, a carefully structured four-phase initiative anchored in inclusivity and empowerment. It begins with immersing in the communities—listening to their stories, understanding their traditions, and identifying their needs and aspirations. From these insights, TPB co-creates capacity-building programs tailored for artisans, cultural practitioners, and local tourism players. These sessions often cover skills enhancement, product development, interpretation and storytelling, basic enterprise management, and market-readiness, ensuring that communities are equipped not only to welcome visitors but also to manage growth responsibly.
As communities build their capabilities, they are gradually introduced to broader audiences through curated interactions with media, content creators, key opinion leaders, and other tourism stakeholders. These engagements give local champions a platform to tell their own stories, showcase their crafts, and highlight the distinct experiences their destinations offer. Over time, they are connected to domestic and international tourism markets, creating more stable and sustainable livelihood opportunities. Through this program, weaving collectives, traditional craftsmen, indigenous communities, and emerging tourism destinations have gained greater visibility and market access while safeguarding their cultural identity and passing their heritage to the next generation.
These sustained and collaborative efforts now span multiple regions across the Philippines, supporting communities in Western Visayas, Bicol, CALABARZON, Zamboanga City, Lake Sebu, Northern Samar, Sorsogon, and the Cordilleras. Each community brings its own colors, textures, and narratives—from handwoven textiles and age-old rituals to nature-based adventures and farm experiences—creating a rich tapestry of offerings for travelers. This year, the CBT Program extended its reach to Siargao and Palawan, two of the country’s most iconic island destinations, further broadening the impact of community-driven tourism and ensuring that local residents are active beneficiaries of the tourism value chain.
Welcoming the recognition, TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles noted that the awards reflect not only the organization’s strategic work but also its people-centered approach.
“These honors affirm the heart of what we do. In MICE, we show that the Philippines is a destination where collaborations grow and business becomes personal. In community-based tourism, empowering local storytellers and artisans strengthens not only livelihoods, but also the identity we share with the world. We are grateful for this recognition, which validates programs built on collaboration, cultural pride, and authentic connections,” she shared.
For Ambassador Macaraig, the dual win carries significance beyond the ceremony.
“This recognition is a proud moment for the Philippines. It speaks to the creativity of our tourism professionals, the dedication of our partners, and the resilience of our communities. Most of all, it reflects how the Philippines continues to shine as a country of warmth, talent, and hospitality. On behalf of the Philippine government, we extend our gratitude to Travel Daily Media for honoring the work of our tourism industry.”
The TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards Asia is widely regarded as one of the region’s most prestigious and influential industry recognitions, highlighting organizations that are driving the future of travel. The awards honor exceptional achievement and innovation across diverse sectors, including hotels, airlines, airports, cruise lines, tour operators, technology platforms, and national tourism boards. For TPB, receiving two awards from this program marks a standout year, characterized by greater international visibility, deeper connections with local communities, and a more substantial presence in global markets.
These honors join TPB’s expanding roster of international accolades, among them the TTG Travel Awards 2025, the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2024, and the TripZilla Excellence Awards. Collectively, these distinctions affirm TPB’s ability to deliver impactful and sustainable tourism initiatives, cultivate strong industry partnerships, and uphold a sustained commitment to inclusive, community-centered tourism that creates shared value for both travelers and host communities.
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