The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines successfully showcased the country’s top travel destinations at the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) 2025 held from January 30 to February 1 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. Over the three-day event, the Philippine delegation conducted business-to-business meetings that generated PHP ₱86,297,000.00 in partial sales leads. More sales leads are forecasted to come in from the Philippine delegation over the next few days.
At the core of the discussions was the strong interest among Indian travelers in beaches, shopping destinations, vibrant nightlife, and business travel/MICE. The Philippine booth highlighted key destinations such as the stunning beaches of Boracay and Palawan, as well as the cultural and natural attractions of Cebu and Manila. The booth had a positive reception during the trade show, garnering an OTM Excellence Award for the Best Decoration for its beautiful display of local destinations.
Over five million Indian tourists visited ASEAN countries in 2024, making it critical for the Philippines to secure a larger share of this market through its participation in the leading travel trade show in India. TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles emphasized the significant impact of this participation and stated that, “As one of Asia’s largest and most notable travel trade events, OTM 2025 provided the Philippines with a platform to strengthen its foothold in the booming Indian outbound travel market. The strong turnout and the enthusiasm shown by Indian travel stakeholders during the event reaffirm our confidence that the Philippines will see substantial growth in Indian arrivals in the coming years.”
Support for the Philippine delegation in the OTM 2025 was further underscored by the visit of Consul ad honorem R. Swaminathan, the honorary consul of Philippines in Mumbai, and Vice Consul a.h. S. Krishnamoorthy. Their attendance highlighted the importance of strengthening the Philippines’ presence in the Indian market.
The Philippines’ participation in OTM is strategically timed. It is held in India’s financial capital, a key port of exit for travelers from the West and South Indian markets, which accounts for over 60% of the country’s total outbound travel. With India’s outbound tourism booming, the Philippines is implementing initiatives to capture a larger share of this growing market such as the introduction of electronic visas for Indian nationals and the expansion of air connectivity. Plans to offer direct flights between India and the Philippines are also underway, with Air India expected to operate routes connecting Delhi to Manila. These developments aim to facilitate easier access for Indian travelers and further enhance bilateral tourism relations between the two countries.
The TPB led a thirteen-member delegation of private sector companies and government partners to co-exhibit at OTM 2025, including the Department of Tourism Central Luzon and the Clark Development Corporation. Ten of these organizations joined the Tourism Promotions Board in the Philippines Roadshow 2025, a series of promotional events in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore from February 3 to 7.
