The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines and Connections Luxury have initiated a move that promises to redefine the Philippines not just as a haven for beach, dive, and leisure travel, but also as an up-and-coming luxury wellness destination.
From April 16-19, Connections Luxury, known globally for its elite community of decision-makers in luxury travel, hosted the inaugural Connections Wellbeing Philippines event. The event was graced by 40 leading agencies from an array of international markets including the UK, US, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and Portugal. The goal? To create enduring business relationships with selected luxury hotels, boutique properties, and experience providers across the archipelago.
Interestingly, before this event, a solid 60% of the agencies already identified the Philippines as a fresh and promising destination for their high-net-worth clients. The factors that propelled them to promote the Philippines to luxury clients post-event were its untouched natural beauty, heartfelt Filipino hospitality, its distinct authenticity compared to other Southeast Asian destinations, and of course, its burgeoning wellness opportunities. The successful Connections Wellbeing Philippines event didn’t just shed light on the Philippines’ potential – it drastically boosted confidence in the market, skyrocketing projected sales. In fact, the event led to a whopping 1,611% increase in predicted inbound spend over the next 12 months from attending agencies, projected to surpass $10 million USD!
“We are proud to have hosted the inaugural Connections Wellbeing event. The Philippines has so much to offer as our facilities bridge Western and Eastern treatments in their holistic wellness programs,” shared Margarita Montemayor Nograles, Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board.
The event also served as a platform for discussing wellness tourism trends and the enormous growth potential in the Philippines. A poll completed by attendees revealed that clients interested in wellness travel prioritize spa and health facilities, closely followed by nutrition, relaxation, and sustainability. Moreover, the discussions spotlighted an increasing demand for customized and personalized wellness experiences – an area where the Philippines, with its unique blend of East meets West wellness programs, has a significant edge.
Nograles added, “Beyond increasing tourism arrivals, we also look at the economic impact of the quality of tourists we bring to the Philippines. The luxury industry promises to yield strong economic results across accommodations, retail, and our food and beverage sectors.”
Looking ahead, there is significant emphasis on collaboration between government organizations, luxury travel agencies, wellness resorts, and medical professionals. The goal is to enlighten clients about the comprehensive wellness experiences that the Philippines can provide, thereby ensuring the growth of wellness tourism in the country. With its lush natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and now an evolving luxury wellness tourism scene, the Philippines is undoubtedly an emerging hotspot for tourists seeking an authentic, rejuvenating getaway!
About Connections Luxury:
Connections is the international private community for trusted decision-makers in luxury travel. The brand brings together the industry’s most respected travel agents and suppliers throughout the year, in destinations across the world. Connections is the next generation of doing business.
Connections has pioneered the Connections Way – a proven series of proprietary methodologies and approaches designed to create long-lasting business relationships between its members. Since its inception in 2014, Connections has hosted over 50 global events, giving decision makers the opportunity to meet through memorable experiences and educational debates.
Connections Luxury is based in London and forms part of Jacobs Media Group, the global voice for the travel and hospitality industries. In 2020, Jacobs Media Group won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise International trade. Jacobs Media Group was recognised in the 2020 awards for outstanding short-term growth in overseas sales, having expanded its global business in the previous three years by over 50%.
