Global Tourism Business Association (GTBA) President Michelle Taylan flew to Brunei for a meeting with Philippine ambassador Marian Jocelyn-Tirol Ignacio, Brunei acting Director for Tourism Development Yang Mulia Dayang Salinah Binthi Haji Mohd Salleh, ATAB Deputy President Haji Zainal Harun and other tourism sector representatives on June 11, 2024.
Ph Ambassador to Brunei H.E. E. Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio Michelle G. Taylan GTBA President and Dir. Yang Mulia Dayang Salinah Binti Haji Mohd Salleh Acting Director Brunei Tourism Development Department
The GTBA will be holding its second General Membership Assembly in Brunei, as part of its sixth founding anniversary. GTBA will also have its B2B Global Travel Exchange and Roadshow there from July 22 to 23, 2024, in collaboration with the Boracay LGU and tourism stakeholders, One Klik Events, and the Association of Travel Agents Brunei (ATAB). “This is a mega celebration of our sixth year in business, and we’re doing it in partnership with Brunei. We want to facilitate increased tourism exchange between the two countries and allow our members to tap into more networks in ASEAN,” Taylan said.
From left ATAB President Mr. Haji Zainal Harun, Ph Ambassador to Brunei H.E. E. Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio Michelle G. Taylan GTBA President Mr. Alec Arenas Consular Attache
The GTBA events come on the heels of President Bongbong Marcos’ state visit to Brunei, wherein a Memorandum of Understanding for tourism cooperation was signed. President Marcos said he wants to entice more Bruneian tourists to come to the Philippines, and improve people-to-people exchange between the two countries. “We welcome having more travelers from Brunei to come visit the Philippines. There are a lot of opportunities for the Philippines when it comes to offering halal tourism, and we can certainly try to tap on Brunei as a testbed for improving our Muslim-friendly offers,” Taylan said. Despite being ASEAN neighbors, tourist arrivals from Brunei rank low with only 2,661 visitors from January to May this year, down 3% compared to figures in 2023. In comparison, there were 64,410 tourists from Singapore and 41,638 from Malaysia that visited the Philippines in the same period this year, according to data from the Department of Tourism.
“This travel exchange and roadshow that we’re doing in Brunei is meant to help the government and in support to the Department of Tourism with its goal to increase tourist traffic from Brunei. It’s a highly viable destination since it’s only a two-hour travel and also visa-free,” Taylan explained.
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