The country’s Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) launched a push to position MIMAROPA region as a premier sustainable tourism destination at a regional fair that opened Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Puerto Princesa City.

TPB, the government agency responsible for international and domestic tourism marketing, says it hopes to balance economic development with environmental conservation.

TPB operates under the Department of Tourism and focuses on marketing Philippine destinations internationally and domestically.

The direction of the national government is aimed at reviving tourism sector while addressing issues over environmental degradation at popular destinations.

The Philippines attracted 5.45 million international visitors in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, with tourism contributing roughly 12% to gross domestic product.

Tourism officials say MIMAROPA encompasses some of the country’s most ecologically important areas.

Palawan province, often called the Philippines’ “last ecological frontier,” anchors the region’s tourism appeal with its marine biodiversity and limestone karst landscapes.

The 16th Regional Tourism Fair brings together hotels, airlines, travel agencies and regional tourism offices offering promotional packages, while local artisans showcase handicrafts.

TPB facilitated business-to-business meetings between 67 sellers and 52 buyers ahead of the public opening.

Mimaropa region includes UNESCO World Heritage Site Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a 130,028-hectare marine protected area in the Sulu Sea known for its coral reefs and marine life.

Other attractions include the limestone cliffs of El Nido, the shipwreck diving sites of Coron, and Puerto Galera’s beaches in Oriental Mindoro.

Balancing tourism growth with environmental protection remains a daunting task for Philippine tourism officials.

In 2018, the government closed Boracay island, one of the country’s top beach destinations, for six months for environmental rehabilitation after years of unregulated development.