MANILA: Preparations are underway for Philippine destinations in and around the venues that will host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Meetings next year, said the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) on Wednesday (Sept 24), the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.
Malaysia is set to turn over the Asean chairship to the Philippines during the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025.
"The Department of Tourism is a part and parcel of the National Organising Committee forAsean and chiefly, we are tasked with ensuring that our destinations are ready, as well as our facilities, cultural tours, and performances,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco (pic) told reporters at Centro de Turismo Intramuros in Manila.
"We have already deployed our teams to go around the country, to visit the destinations and to work with our local government units so that the interventions needed, especially in terms of infrastructure support, safety and security, cleanliness, and readiness, are met.”
Part of the strings of Asean-related meetings scheduled next year is the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) that will be held in Cebu in January.
During the interview, Frasco also confirmed that ATF will be held at the soon-to-rise Mactan Expo Centre in Lapu-Lapu City.
"I understand that Mactan Expo, which is brand new, will be finished by the last quarter of this year-ready for the Asean Tourism Forum,” she said.
The infrastructure, which can accommodate up to 2,600 people, is an anticipated addition to the growing number of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) and event spaces in Cebu, on top of the Nustar Convention Centre and IC3 Convention Centre in Cebu City. - Bernama-PNA
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