MICE CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE

By dr. Zuzana Adamson

Ready to embrace the unknown, I flew to the ATF – the ASEAN Economic and Political Tourism Forum 2026. MICE CEE promotes the humanistic ideals of the founders of CzechoSlovakia, which stood at the birth of the League of Nations after World War I and participated in the Slavery Convention 165/1930 Coll. (the end of slavery). We support peaceful relations with ASEAN countries and the special relationship between CzechoSlovakia and the Philippines, symbolized by the Infant Jesus – the Filipino one in Cebu and the Prague one in Malá Strana. Before departing on January 21st, I purchased bells featuring the Infant Jesus of Prague in Malá Strana as gifts for the Philippines.

 

In January and February this year (2026), the 45th annual AT Forum – TRAVEX was held, which is a trade fair for the community of ASEAN countries. Following alphabetical order, its organisation fell to a country with which Czechoslovakia (the Czech Republic) has historically had very specific friendly relations: the Philippines. This year’s ATF in Cebu was held in the spirit of “Navigating Our Tourism Future, Together.”

 

 

ASEAN has recently expanded: in 2025, it welcomed its 11th member, the state of Timor-Leste (East Timor). Its capital is Dili, it has nearly 1.5 million inhabitants, it borders Indonesia and across the Timor Sea, Australia. For EU citizens (except those from Ireland), entry into the country is visa-free for up to 90 days.

 

ASEAN Tourism Forum – TRAVEX took place in Cebu, which is famous for having a sacred Infant Jesus, the older brother of the Czech Infant Jesus from the monastery in Malá Strana, Prague. As part of our relations, I brought gifts in the form of bells featuring the Infant Jesus of Prague, which were very well received. Faith in Cebu is very vibrant: there is singing and rejoicing in the churches. And now they have a gift from me from Prague—a blonde Infant Jesus next to the black-haired Santo Niño in the Basilica of the Holy Child (Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu) to support our Czech-Philippine relations.

 

The main exhibition venue was the Mactan Expo Centre (MAC) in Lapu-Lapu City. This recently opened new exhibition centre spans 2,600 square metres.

 

 

International B2B media stayed at The Reef, a quiet and noble 5-star hotel located right by the ocean. Rooms with balconies offer views of the open sea and the surrounding area. The hotel is excellently located, just a short distance from Mactan Cebu International Airport.

 

 

 

 

Destinations from ASEAN countries presented themselves to buyers from 50 countries, including Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the USA. A total of 276 delegates were invited, including 70 representatives of international and local B2B media from a total of 25 countries across Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa.

 

This year’s ATF Forum – TRAVEX was attended by more than 1,000 delegates. Our media, MICE CEE, greatly appreciates the opportunity to be involved and to report on such an amazing, successful, and perfectly organized event.

 

Press conference with the representative of Cambodia

 

Pre-organized business meetings reached over 9,500 in number. The Filipinos also offered excellent networking side events and celebrations, of which there were over 30, including a three-day trade fair for professionals.

 

PRE- and POST-Tours were organized for B2B media and buyers, from which we could choose and register according to the “first come, first served” principle. For the POST-Tours, the destinations offered were Bohol, Davao, Dumaguete and Siquijor, Palawan, Clark, and Manila.

 

I was completely satisfied with my tours; they fitted perfectly into my educational intent, and I enjoyed them very much. The PRE-Tour was an introduction to the great national hero Lapu-Lapu, who stood up to the Spanish colonisers and is a symbol of freedom, national pride, and the courage to stand up for values in the Philippines.

 

 

After the fair, I was selected for the POST-Tour Coron – Palawan group. Coron sounds almost like “corona,” which we have vividly associated with oppression during the coronavirus plandemic. “Coron” means “vessel” in the local language. What kind of vessel are you and will you be as a person? What is and what will be the content of your “vessel” – the temple of God? You? I will write special reports about these tours in a future post.

 

From the beginning of ATF TRAVEX Philippines 2026, us delegates were welcomed at the Cebu airport with singing, dancing, and music, and this mood and celebratory atmosphere continued throughout the entire event. It is so kind! A person persecuted and devalued at every step during the “covid” plandemic feels amazing: honour and respect, a celebration in your honour. Lapu-Lapu is awakening and welcomes the Lapu-Lapu from the friendly country of CzechoSlovakia.

 

The trade fair itself also opened with music, dance, and song. It was one of the most successful ATF-TRAVEX events in its history, authentic and heart-to-heart. The press conferences of individual countries contained specific information, figures, and data and provided space for journalists’ questions. The fact that the media were from different countries was enriching, and we were able to discuss and learn interesting information, and share our findings and observations.

 

Great discussion with the representative of Timor-Leste, the newest member of the ASEAN family

 

Ministerial meetings of ASEAN countries took place at the Nustar Resort & Casino in Cebu, alongside the ASEAN Tourism Forum – TRAVEX. The Secretary of the Philippines Department of Tourism, the charismatic Christina Garcia Frasco, together with government representatives of ASEAN countries and ASEAN Secretary-General Satvinder Singh, presented development programmes and plans for the 2026–2030 period.

 

 

In 2025, ASEAN countries welcomed a total of 144 million international visitors, a 13.4% increase over the previous year, with 48 million travellers coming from neighbouring countries. Satvinder Singh stated that the ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan, along with marketing strategies for 2026–2030, represents an opportunity for the entire region to move from recovery to transformation. The main points of the plan include resilient and adaptable tourism, a focus on empowering tourism employees, accessible and seamless travel, digital tourism, product diversification, and a focus on sustainable tourism.

 

Ms. Christina Garcia Frasco

According to Christina Garcia Frasco, flexibility and resilience are crucial given the challenging situations and natural phenomena such as floods, earthquakes, and extreme weather events that have affected Cebu and other destinations in the Philippines.

 

We would like to add that although the Filipinos are affected in this way, they handled the organisation so well that nothing was noticeable. The events prepared within ATF TRAVEX—whether the opening night, the closing night, or many other networking opportunities—were beautiful, full of humanity and joy, organised with admirable professionalism and absolute confidence.

 

 

To boost tourism, the city of Cebu opened 12 new flight connections in 2025. In the Philippines, more than 13% of employment is derived directly from tourism, so focusing on developing the education and professionalism of workers in this industry makes sense.

 

 

According to the director of the TPB (The Philippine Tourism Promotions Board), Maria Margarita Nograles, the Philippines will focus on strengthening marketing activities in source markets such as South Korea, the USA, and Japan (the top three source markets for the Philippines), as well as India, whose travellers and visitors will enjoy visa-free entry for 14 days. The Indian market has shown growth potential since visa-free entry was introduced in June 2025. Another market the Philippines will focus on is China. For visitors from Europe, the Philippines is friendly and offers plenty of diversity at good prices.

 

Did you know that the Philippines as a destination has more than 7,600 islands? This beautiful country with warm people welcomed more than 6,484,060 visitors in 2025, who spent an average of 11 nights in the country. It is renowned for its hospitality, cultural diplomacy, storytelling, friendliness towards different religions, and as a premier destination for divers, offering stunning underwater life and diverse flora and fauna, with a focus on eco-tourism. The MICE sector is also significant for the Philippines. In this regard, they are developing new products and infrastructure, such as cruises and the construction of new resorts and hotels with meeting spaces for MICE.

 

The opening night of ATF TRAVEX Philippines was a grand dinner in the outdoor area of the Mactan Shrine, around the statue of national hero Lapu-Lapu, organized by the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines. It began with an unforgettable experience: a welcome dance, martial arts, singing, and music involving over 400 performers. During the PRE-Tour the previous day, we had active workshops, which is already an established trend for getting to know a destination, and we even learned some martial arts.

 

The closing ceremony was hosted by Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, lunches and networking events were hosted by Tourism Malaysia and Singapore Tourism Board. Delegates were amazed by unforgettable experiences, a lot of business, and in their hearts, they carried home a warm energy from their meetings in a destination to which they would happily return.

 

On a PRE-Tour in Lapu-Lapu with colleagues from media and buyers