Tourism and Hospitality Industry News Updates brought to you by MY RANGGO Hospitality Magazine for the week ending 3 October 2025.
Our Tourism & Hospitality Industry News Headlines:-
- Tourist Advisory Issued After Cebu Quake
- PICC Reopening Banks on MICE Industry
- Okada Manila Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel 2025
- ATOP Awards 2025
- Kaon Ta! Iloilo’s National Food Showdown
- 3 New Marriott Hotels To Open in Philippines
- Travel Affected As US Government Shuts Down
- Hyatt and Marriott Move Into “Adventure-First” Travel
- TikTok Extends Into Travel Marketing Channel
Tourist Advisory Issued After Cebu Quake
The Philippine Department of Tourism issued a 3rd Public Advisory on October 2, in response to the magnitude 6.9 Earthquake that hit Cebu and surrounding provinces. The earthquake hit the area on September 30 in the evening.
The Public Advisory includes tourist sites and accommodation that have been closed as a result of significant structural damage and to protect the public as aftershocks continue to be felt.
Closed sites include the historic Museo Sugbo in Cebu City – which only recently reopened to the public.
Tourists needing assistance may reach the DOT Tourist Assistance Call Center (TACC) through the following channels:
- Hotline – 151-TOUR (151-8687)
- Mobile – 0954-253-3215
- Facebook – Department of Tourism – Philippines page
- Email – touristassistance@tourism.gov.ph
- Click2Call and Live Webchat – DOT corporate website
The Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MCDRRMO) team arrived at Mactan-Cebu International Airport on October 2 to deliver help and support. They are one of many teams coordinating with local authorities to manage a swift response to the immediate and future needs of affected residents, and brought with them relief goods and medical assistance.
Our thoughts and sorrow are with all those affected by this calamity.
PICC Reopening Banks on MICE Industry
The official reopening of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, was held on September 30, 2025.
Considered to be the first International Convention Center in Asia when it opened in 1976, the PICC was designed by Leandro V. Locsin, recognised for his distinctive architecture style and reflections of Philippine Art and Culture.
The Philippine Department of Tourism has been promoting the Philippines as the ideal destination for the Asian MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Industry, with a particular focus on Cebu. See our Industry News Update 27 June 2025.
The reopening of the convention center places Manila as an attractive option too, with PICC already landing its first major event – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which will take place in 2026.
Okada Manila Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel 2025
Okada Manila has won the title Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel – Philippines for the second year in a row at the 34th TTG Travel Awards 2025.
Other winners include:-
- The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), which won Best National Tourism Organisation (NTO) for the third year running.
- Grand Hyatt Manila was voted Best Hotel in Manila.
- Conrad Manila was awarded Best Business Hotel in the Philippines.
- SMX Convention Center bagged the title Best Convention and Exhibition Center in the Philippines.
Winners were determined by votes cast from April 1 to July 31, 2025, by TTG’s readers and travel professionals across different sectors.
Okada’s award was accepted by the Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Ms. Cielo Reboredo at Travel Trade Gazette’s Gala event (TTG), held at the Centara Grand in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Winning this award for the second year in a row is a proud milestone for our entire team,” – Cielo Reboredo, Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Okada.
This award further showcases Okada, and the Philippines, as a destination for world-class business events.
ATOP Awards 2025
The Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) held its 26th National Convention in Baguio City October 1-4.
The ATOP Awards 2025 took place on October 2, with awards across 12 categories, each with a number of sub-categories.
- Best Tourism Souvenirs (Non-Food)
- Best Tourism Month/Week Celebration
- Best Practices in Community-Based Tourism
- Best Tourism Promotion
- Best Practices on Sustainable Tourism
- Best Event Hosting
- Most Outstanding Tourism Officers Organization
- Most Outstanding Tourism Officers
- Best Sports Tourism Event
- Best Tourism Event: Festival
- Best Institutionalized Program for Culture and the Arts
- Best Tourism Oriented LGU
ATOPs Awards page will be updated with the winners over the next few weeks.
Kaon Ta! Iloilo’s National Food Showdown
Ilolio City hosts the 16th National Food Showdown 2025 October 3-4, at the Iloilo Convention Center.
Iloilo is the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Creative City of Gastronomy so it’s only fitting that it would host the National competition.
The event will see chefs, culinary professionals and students, from thirty five (35) restaurants, schools and hotels from across the Philippines taking part in seven (7) competitions.
The competition theme “Balik Isla: Foraging in the Philippine Countryside” has a focus on the use of regional ingredients from countryside, forest and coast, and the use of traditional, and modern, cooking techniques.
The event has been organized by the Iloilo city government, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), Richmonde Hotel Iloilo and Iloilo MICE Alliance, and will be led by Chef Myrna Segismundo and an expert panel of judges.
More information about each of the 7 competition categories can be found here
3 New Marriott Hotels To Open in Philippines
Marriott International, Inc will be opening three new hotels in the Philippines, by November 2025.
The new hotels, in Mandaluyong, Batangas and Cebu, will bring Marriott’s Philippine hotel tally up to thirteen (13) open and operating properties.
Marriott is also expected to reopen San Benito’s The Farm at San Benito, as its first Philippine Autograph Collection resort sometime in November.
Global Tourism & Hospitality Industry News Updates
Travel Affected As US Government Shuts Down
The US government shut down on Oct 1, after the Senate failed to pass a last-ditch funding plan, bringing with it travel disruptions. The last Government Shut down occurred in the US at the end of 2018.
Affected Departments include Border Protection and Air-traffic Control. People traveling to and throughout America will likely face long security queues, and flight delays or cancellations as unpaid workers opt to stay home rather than work for free.
Travelers hoping to visit US National Parks and Forests like the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone Park, may also find that these are closed to the public for the duration of the shutdown. A number of sites have already updated their websites to advise they are closed to the public. Some include statements blaming the Democrat Party for the shut-down.
The shutdown has occurred after the Senate failed to pass a bill to extend government funding, in what may be viewed as a political ‘stand-off’ between the Republican and Democrat parties.
President Trump quickly released a memo, after the bill failed to be passed, threatening “vast numbers of people” (Federal workers) would face “irreversible” firings if the shutdown went ahead.
Hyatt and Marriott Move Into “Adventure-First” Travel
Long seen as a luxury brand Marriott is reshaping and expanding their business model. They’re moving focus away from new hotel construction builds to conversion projects, and this week introduced Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors.
This is a platform promoting over 400 outdoor-oriented hotels, and 50,000 villas and homes, grouped by activity type and location. Marriot hopes to grab a slice of the outdoorsy, adventure-seeker tourist market.
Hyatt has made similar moves into outdoor, nature-focused accommodation, with their Under Canvas arm.
TikTok Extends Into Travel Marketing Channel
Following on from our piece in our Industry News Update on September 12 TikTok is making further in-roads as a Travel Marketing Channel with the launch of “Travel Ads”.
They aim to assist Hotels and Tour Operators to reach viewers as early as the “Discovery” stage of booking – when they first begin to search for inspiration and travel options.
- 67% of TikTok users searched TikTok for something travel related that they’re interested in doing or visiting.
- 66% of TikTok users find TikTok to be the most helpful source of travel inspiration.
- 60% of TikTok users agree that they visit new destinations because they discover them through TikTok. Source: TikTok Business
It’s not just a travel marketing channel for the big players. Independent Hotels and Tour Operators can utilize the Travel Ads too, and be seen by their target audiences.
An automated set up, built on TikToks Smart+ with an injection of AI, it offers businesses an easy to use Ad campaign flow with a variety of formats – from video through to carousel images -and with dynamic functionality for promoting amenities and pricing. Influencity has a great guide, with visual examples of the formats, and creating an Ad or campaign.
The Expedia Group is already tapping in to this new travel marketing channel opportunity.
“TikTok has become a go-to destination for travelers planning their next trip. With Travel Ads, we’re meeting them in key moments with inspiring content across Expedia, Vrbo & Hotels.com.” Jochen Koedijk, CMO, Expedia Group.
Missed last weeks industry news update? Read it here
