05 October 2023

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) conducted an exclusive webinar specifically designed for local tourism and investment officers across the country, entitled “Orientation on TIEZA Tourism Investment and Incentives Program for Tourism and Investment Officers,” held on 05 October 2023 through Zoom application.

The recently concluded local orientation was organized to inform and apprise the tourism and investment officers on TIEZA’s viable tourism investment products in its designated Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZ) and Assets, and its incentives program under Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, as well as to address concerns relative to other offerings and initiatives of the Authority.

The webinar was divided into two sessions, the morning session for Luzon Cluster and afternoon session for Visayas-Mindanao Cluster, which drew a combined attendance of over 200 participants that comprised of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Officers, Local Government Units tourism officers, investment officers, planning officers, and other representatives from the public sector.

TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark T. Lapid warmly welcomed all the participants and encouraged them to work alongside TIEZA in echoing its projects and programs to their locality, as well as highlighted the key role of TIEZA as a partner in investments for tourism development.

The webinar introduced TIEZA’s mandate as the Investment Promotion Agency of the tourism industry. Likewise, it presented the vast investment opportunities in TIEZA’s designated Flagship TEZs that are open for investors who may be interested in locating their tourism-related businesses in one of these zones, namely Rizal Park in Manila, San Vicente in Palawan, Mt. Samat in Bataan, Corregidor Island in Cavite, and Panglao Bay Premiere in Bohol.

Moreover, it also highlighted the tax and duty incentives which tourism-related business enterprises are entitled to once they qualified in the application for registration with TIEZA under the CREATE Act. These initiatives were co-presented by the TEZ Marketing Head and Division Manager Donald R. Maldonado and TEZ Management Sector Technical Assistant and OIC-Administrator of the Corregidor Flagship TEZ Catherine E. Sta. Clara during the morning and afternoon session? respectively.

On the other hand, investment opportunities in TIEZA Assets were co-presented by Business Research Development Division Manager Zenaida R. Quinahan and Business Development Department Manager Janeth Christine A. Ocampo. They also emphasized the Joint Venture Guidelines Framework for public-private cooperation in the operation and management of TIEZA Assets, which include Balacad Property in Ilocos Norte; Boracay Property in Malay, Aklan; Moalboal Property in Cebu; and Balicasag Island Dive Resort in Bohol among others.

Assistant Chief Operating Officer for TEZ Management Sector, Atty. Karen Mae G. Sarinas-Baydo also graced the webinar, spurring more partnerships between TIEZA and the local tourism and investment officers as a contribution to the sustainable economic development of the country, “We hope that through this orientation, we create a convergence by way of forging partnerships toward our goal of bringing more tourism investments on the table.” She also shared that TIEZA is open to local and private organizations who may want to conduct the same orientation on their respective areas.

TIEZA conducts and participates in various tourism-related exhibitions, summits, conferences, and investment roadshows to meet with potential investors both here and abroad as part of its mandate as the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) for tourism industry.

Interested investors may contact our TEZ Management Secretariat at 8249-5900 local 724 or e-mail us at tez.secretariat@gmail.com and tez.secretariat@tieza.gov.ph. You may also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tezmgmt and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tezmgmt.