Industry News Updates for the Philippine Hospitality and Tourism Industry for the week ending February 20, 2026.
Industry News Updates & Headlines:
- PH Sports Tourism Gaining Ground.
- Farm Tourism Strategic Plan Launched
- Manila Coffee House Makes Top 100 List
- Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Sees 30k Visitors
- Intramuros Electric Tranvia Launched
PH Sports Tourism Gaining Ground.
The focus on Sports Tourism is gaining ground throughout the Philippines with a number of new initiatives and developments.
Back in November 2025 President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IA) to oversee and coordinate all government initiatives focused on the development and promotion of sports tourism in the country.
The committee, which has the directive to bid for and host, high-level international sporting events, is made up of:
- The head of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) – Chairperson
- The head of Department of Tourism (DOT) – Vice Chairperson.
- Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
- Department of Budget and Management (DBM);
- Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA); Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor);
- Two private sector representatives.
We previously highlighted in January how the United Grassroots and Tribes Paragliding Association (UGATPAC), Cagayan Valley had secured a P1-M grant from the DOT, to develop paragliding and sports and adventure tourism in the area, with Indigenous People athletes.
And there’s new skate park facilities in Bacolod City, along with a big in to host the 2026 Batang Pinoy (The Philippine Youth Games).
This week Puerto Princesa saw a Breaking Ground ceremony of a ₱50M Skate Park, in the Balayong People’s Park, Santa Monica, which is expected to be completed and open before the end of 2026 and is as part of the city governments focus on sports and eco-tourism.
“The direction of the City Government is not only eco-tourism but also sports tourism. If we have a world-class facility that is in line with international standards, we can host national and international competitions. This is for you and for the future of our city.” – Mayor Lucilo Bayron
We also previously covered the announcement of The Sports Tourism Forum, which is set to take place in Cebu in March 2026. The Forum will gather to discuss staging sporting events to coincide with scheduled national and international meetings, exhibitions and conferences.
Farm Tourism Strategic Plan Launched
Philippine sports isn’t the only area seeing coordination with tourism. This week the Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco shared that the same approach and alignment is being applied to the agricultural industry in order to strengthen farm and gastronomy tourism.
The DOT, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry met to launch the Farm Tourism Strategic Action Plan 2026–2031. The plan establishes clearer mechanisms to link tourism demand with rural enterprises and Filipino farmers, in order to bring value and benefits to rural and farming communities.
Elsewhere musician Apl.de.Ap announced his recent visit to a large scale agroforestry program in Cagayan Valley, through the organisation Omtse.
Apl.de.Ap co-founded Omtse, which drives commitment to transforming Filipino communities through sustainable innovation that transforms ‘degraded’ agricultural land into land that contributes to strong climate infrastructure and regeneration.
One particular project will see the expansion of Alcala’s watershed efforts, to enable farmers to be able to live off the land, while acting as climate frontline defenders in the area.
Manila Coffee House Makes Top 100 List
Yardstick Coffee, a Manila-based speciality coffee shop chain has made the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 list. Ranking 34th, this is the second year in a row that Yardstick Coffee has featured in the Top 100 list.
In 2025 Yardstick ranked 18th in the list, along with
No 8: Crema and Cream Coffee Roasters
No 61: El Union
No 83: Single Origin
This year Yardstick is the only Filipino Coffee shop to feature in the list.
The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops is decided on by public votes (30%) and a panel of 200 coffee and industry experts (70%), who evaluate nominees against the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards.
Typical standards include:-
- The quality of the coffee bean, food and pastries
- Barista expertise and innovation
- Sustainability
- Atmosphere and ambiance,
- Customer service
Yardstick launched in Legazpi Village back in 2013, and has since expanded to 10 branches across Manila.
Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Sees 30k Visitors
The 26th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) took place last weekend at New Clark City, Capas Tarlac.
This years event, held on February 13-15, was attended by close to 30,000 visitors excited to see the skies come alive with sunrise balloon flights, evening glows, competitions and exhibitions.
Pilots from a host of countries, including Macedonia, Brazil, Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States showcased their balloon mastery throughout the weekend.
“Beyond the figures, what we witnessed was families spending a day of love and joy together. We saw balikbayans returning home, foreign visitors discovering New Clark City for the first time, and local communities proudly welcoming them.” – CEO Engr. Joshua M.Bingcang, BCDA President.
The venue area is former military land that has been transformed into an open space for recreation, tourism and shared experiences, by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
“This boosted the province economically and socially. There was a clear ripple effect on hotels, tour operators, and small businesses. We want to continue promoting initiatives like this to strengthen tourism-driven growth in Central Luzon,” – Tarlac Governor Christian Tell Yap.
Intramuros Electric Tranvia Launched.
Visitors to Intramuros now get to travel around Manila’s walled city in unique style with the introduction of the Electric Tranvia.
The modern version of the iconic, pre-war Tranvia has been developed by UP Diliman College of Engineering. It’s design gives a nod to the vehicles of old, and a unique way for visitors and tourists alike to view Intramuros.
Photo courtesy of Don’t Skip Manila
