The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines is set to bring the 18th Regional Travel Fair (RTF) to Cotabato City from August 14 to 16, 2026, highlighting the tourism potential of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The three-day event will be held at the Alnor Hotel and Convention Center and will serve as a platform for tourism businesses, communities, buyers, and travelers to connect while expanding market opportunities for destinations across the region.
Connecting Tourism Businesses With New Markets
As the second installment of this year’s RTF, the Cotabato City leg aims to go beyond traditional business matchmaking by creating opportunities for long-term partnerships between tourism enterprises and the markets they serve.
“Beyond traditional business matchmaking, the RTF serves as a platform for buyers, sellers, and travelers to discover more reasons to love the Philippines while opening opportunities for long-term partnerships,” said TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles.
The event will open with a business-to-business (B2B) session on August 14, bringing together 42 buyers and 52 sellers and exhibitors. Through scheduled meetings, participants will be able to present tourism products, explore potential partnerships, and work toward bookings beyond the event.
Travel Deals and Tourism Showcases
The public can participate in the business-to-consumer (B2C) sessions on August 15 and 16, where visitors can find special offers on domestic travel packages, airline tickets, accommodations, and other tourism products.
The fair will also feature interactive activities and showcases from Department of Tourism regional offices and attached agencies, BARMM tourism stakeholders, local government units, and industry partners.
Invited buyers, sellers, and members of the media will likewise take part in familiarization tours around Cotabato City and nearby destinations. The tours will feature attractions including the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Cotabato, the Bangsamoro Museum, Al Jamelah Weaving Center, and Illana Bay Beach Resort.
These destinations will offer participants a closer look at the region’s Islamic heritage, cultural traditions, and tourism offerings.
Supporting BARMM’s Tourism Development
The Cotabato City RTF comes as BARMM advances its Tourism Development Plan 2025–2033, which outlines long-term strategies for strengthening the region’s tourism industry and increasing its contribution to local economies.
Organized in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, the BARMM Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism, and the City Government of Cotabato City, the 18th Regional Travel Fair aims to expand market access for BARMM tourism enterprises.
By bringing tourism stakeholders and potential markets together, the initiative seeks to help transform the region’s cultural and natural assets into sustainable economic opportunities while giving travelers more reasons to explore BARMM.
For more information, visit 18th Regional Travel Fair.
