Embassy of India

Manila

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Press Release

2 ^nd India-Philippines Joint Working Group Meeting on Tourism

(21 May, 2024 Manila)

The 2nd India-Philippines Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Tourism under the bilateral MoU on Tourism Cooperation of 2019 was held in Manila on 21 May 2024.

2. A range of tourism related issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting, most notably concerning Tourist Visas, Air & Sea Connectivity, Exchange of Best Practices and information, Leveraging digital technology, Investments in hospitality sector, Capacity building including Research and Development and Sustainable tourism, inter alia.

3. The Indian delegation was led by Ms. Anita Baghel, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Philippine side was led by Ms. Verna C. Buensuceso, OIC Undersecretary, Department of Tourism. Senior representatives from different Philippine organisations namely Civil Aviation Authority of Philippines (CAAP), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Intramuros Administration (IA), Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Tourism Promotion Board (TPB) were also part of the Philippine delegation.

Joint photograph of the India-Philippines JWG Delegation

JWG Meeting in Progress

4. A networking session with key private sector stakeholders comprising Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP), Philippine Airlines (PAL), Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), Philippine Tour Operators Association (PhilTOA) was also held on the sidelines of JWG meeting.

Networking session with private sector stakeholders

5. During this visit the Indian delegation also called on Hon. Maria Esperanza Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary, Department of Tourism

Courtesy Call on the Department of Tourism Secretary

6. India and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tourism Cooperation on 18 October, 2019 during the visit of Hon. President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind to Manila, Philippines. Under the MoU, the 1st JWG Meeting was held virtually on 08 October, 2020. During the 5th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) which was held in New Delhi on 29 June, 2023, at the level of the Foreign Ministers of India and the Philippines it was agreed to convene the 2nd JWG meeting on Tourism Cooperation at an early date.

24 May, 2024