The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) formalized its commitment to enhancing tourism cooperation with Thailand through the signing of the ‘Implementation Program of the Agreement on Cooperation on Tourism‘ on Sunday (Jan 19).

Building on the success of the 1993 Agreement on Cooperation on Tourism, Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Thailand Minister of Tourism and Sports Mr. Sorawong Thienthong renewed their commitment to tourism collaboration by signing a new agreement at the DoubleTree Hotel in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

“For the Philippines, this collaboration provides an exciting opportunity to tap into Thailand’s remarkable success in attracting visitors, particularly in areas such as cultural tourism and medical tourism. We can benefit from Thailand’s robust arrival numbers, its internationally recognized cultural heritage, and world-class medical services, which will undoubtedly enhance our own tourism offerings,” said Secretary Frasco.

“In return, Thailand stands to gain from the Philippine expertise in hospitality, where we have earned a reputation for excellence. Additionally, the Philippines is a premier destination for dive tourism—home to some of the world’s most biodiverse marine ecosystems—and for English language tourism, where our world-class language schools attract students from all over the globe,” added the Philippine Tourism Chief.

Minister Thienthong expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Thank you for this MOU signing, for exchanging our knowledge and technology and we are looking forward to working with the Philippines,”.

This five-year program (2025-2030) seeks to strengthen tourism ties between the Philippines and Thailand, fostering mutual growth within both countries’ tourism sectors. Key areas of focus for this collaboration include:

• Tourism Cooperation: Efforts will be made to strengthen travel facilitation, enhance research and development, and improve tourism management and operations. Capacity building, training, and joint marketing efforts will also be prioritized.
• Exchange of Best Practices: A core component of the program will be the exchange of successful strategies in sustainable tourism, cultural heritage tourism, tourism product development, and domestic tourism development.
• Human Resource Development: The program encourages collaboration between tourism-related institutions to share technical materials and conduct training programs aimed at enhancing the skills of tourism professionals.
• Exchange of Officials and Staff Delegation visits will be organized to facilitate capacity building and the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
• Joint Tourism Promotions and Marketing: Collaborative marketing initiatives will focus on increasing tourist traffic between the two countries. This includes joint promotional packages and familiarization tours for media and travel agents.

The agreement will prioritize cooperation in key areas, including tourism strategies, best practice sharing, workforce development, and collaborative marketing initiatives. To ensure effective implementation, a Joint Working Group will be formed to oversee coordination and monitor the program’s progress.

“The signing of the Implementation Program of the Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism between our two nations underscores our deep cultural, economic and historical connections. As we position ourselves as “two countries, one destination”, we recognize the incredible potential of combining our strengths to offer travelers a truly unforgettable experience,” enthused Secretary Frasco.

Also present from the Thailand delegation are Mr. Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, Vice Minister for Tourism and Sports, Mrs. Nutthira Phangkhun – Deputy Director-General of the Department of Tourism, Mr. Puripan Boonnag – Director of MICE Capabilities Development Department, Mr. Weeraphat Chinnaphan – Tourism Services Development Expert Acting Director of Tourism Professional Development Divisio, and Mrs. Katesaraporn Wimonrat – Director of International Affairs Division.

Meanwhile, DOT officials present include Undersecretaries Verna C. Buensuceso, Maria Rica Bueno, and Myra Paz Abubakkar; Assistant Secretaries Czarina Zara Loyola and Ronald Conopio, and Director Alven Talisic.