More than 200 participants are expected to join the Central Philippines Tourism Expo (CPTex) 2025, slated from June 20 to 22, to be hosted for the first time by the Department of Tourism (DOT) Eastern Visayas.

The three-day event at the Robinsons Place Marasbaras in this city will gather participants from the Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Island Region, and Eastern Visayas.

CPTEX is a major tourism event of DOT that serves as a platform to showcase tourism destinations, products, packages, facilities, and services among the participating regions.

“This will highlight the various tourism products from these regions and will be introduced to the tourism market in various regions of the Philippines,” DOT Eastern Visayas Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said in an interview Wednesday.

Eastern Visayas is the third region to host the CPTEX after Iloilo in 2023 and Puerto Princesa in 2024.

“This is the time that we, in Eastern Visayas, can promote and do business with tour operators from different parts of the country,” Tiopes said.

Aside from the business-to-business engagement, a familiarization tour is also scheduled for tour operators that are not familiar with the tour offering, programs, and destinations in the region.

Each of the region’s six provinces will have their own booth during the CPTEX, selling visitor-friendly and market-ready tourist destinations.

“Tour operators will be the frontliners in every booth so that they can sell their respective products and expose them to the rest of the Eastern Visayas market,” Tiopes added.

The CPTEx is the gateway to discovering the rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and unique attractions of the Philippines. It aims to foster sustainable tourism practices that protect and preserve the natural beauty and cultural treasures of these regions. (PNA)