Travel

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is supporting travel not just as leisure, but as a way for Filipinos to learn, build stronger family ties, and support tourism and local economies. BPI is the official bank partner of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) 33rd Travel Tour Expo, happening from February 6 to 8, 2026 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

As the government weighs tighter controls on rising domestic airfares, economists and industry stakeholders warn in an interview with Context.ph that headline-grabbing fixes such as price caps and fare transparency risk treating symptoms rather than the deeper structural issues keeping tickets expensive.

The Philippines has emerged as ASEAN’s top tourism economy, leading the region in tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product and ranking among the strongest job creators, according to the 2025 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Report.

Cebu cemented its rise as a premier meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) destination in Southeast Asia with the official launch of the Cebu MICE Guidebook during the ASEAN Tourism Forum’s Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) at the Mactan Expo in Mactan Newtown.

A powerful winter storm that swept across the US and Canada over the weekend forced thousands of flight cancellations, including several services operated by flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), testing the resilience of its long-haul network and its preparedness for seasonal shocks.