Building Tourism Together with Heritage, Sustainability, and Big-Picture Investments
On a breezy Monday morning in Makati, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) gathered partners and media to do more than present a year-end report — they outlined what building Philippine tourism together actually looks like in 2026.
Not through buzzwords, but through blueprints, restored plazas, working sewerage systems, digitized heritage churches, and water pipelines that make destinations livable long after the tourists go home.
As the government body mandated to develop, manage, and supervise tourism infrastructure nationwide, TIEZA is walking into the new year with a sharpened version of its mission: shared growth through shared responsibility.
“Building tourism together requires partnerships rooted in trust, shared responsibility, and a unified vision for national development,” says TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid
And if you look at TIEZA’s 2026 lineup, that statement isn’t just a promotional tagline but the thread that ties heritage conservation, investment pipelines, and destination upgrades into one strategy.
Heritage Meets Innovation
One of the morning’s most compelling conversations was around heritage work meeting modernization — and the fact that legacy sites aren’t only being preserved, they’re being future-proofed.
A prime example is the 3D Laser Scanning of the Philippines’ UNESCO Baroque Churches, including San Agustin Church, Miagao Church, Santa Maria Church, and Paoay Church. Think of it as an insurance policy in pixels — enabling restoration and resilience in case of natural disasters or deterioration.
Across the country, TIEZA’s revitalization footprint continues: digitally preserving structures such as San Agustin Church, Miagao Church, Santa Maria Church, and Paoay Church for future restoration and disaster resilience. Nationwide, TIEZA continues to lead major restoration and revitalization projects including the Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish in Sibonga, Cebu, the Bacolod Heritage Plaza and Government Center in Negros Occidental, Magellan’s Landing Site in Homonhon Island, Eastern Samar, Burnham Park in Baguio City, and the Quezon City Memorial Circle Redevelopment in Metro Manila.
These are layered projects—some beautify public spaces, others enhance meaning, and all of them protect the identity of local tourism.
Sustainability Beyond Slogans
TIEZA’s 2026 agenda speaks in infrastructure, not buzzwords. Among its active initiatives:
🚰 Sewerage and wastewater facilities in Puerto Galera and Coron
🔬 Scientific monitoring such as the Boracay Green Tide Chronicles
🔆 Nationwide solar lighting projects for eco-tourism circuits
These may not be as glamorous as ribbon cuttings and photo walls — but they make destinations usable, clean, and defensible against environmental risk.
Tourism Enterprise Zones: More than Scenery
TIEZA’s flagship Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs) continue to evolve as engines for regional growth, including:
• Mt. Samat Flagship TEZ
• San Vicente Flagship TEZ
• Iloilo Convention Center
• Paoay Sand Dunes
• Paoay Golf Course Rehabilitation
In San Vicente, a ₱365-million River Water System is underway to secure potable supply for both residents and tourism establishments. Meanwhile, Mt. Samat is getting a world-class Visitors Complex with upgraded assistance and multipurpose facilities — a signal that wartime heritage sites can also be living destinations.
Attracting Investors, Catalyzing Growth
As the lead Investments Promotion Agency for tourism, TIEZA is widening its net under the CREATE Act — giving tourism investors clearer pathways to register, align projects, and contribute to national development.
This now covers:
• medical and wellness tourism
• ecotourism & agritourism
• adventure and accommodation facilities
• transport services
• tech-enabled tourism services
The storytelling highlight here was the 2026 Philippine Tourism Investment Roadmap — a master document that will unify national and local priorities while identifying where investments should actually go.
To make the Roadmap actionable, TIEZA is launching the Philippine Tourism Investment Portfolio, which functions almost like a curated deal library — telling investors what projects exist, what needs funding, and what delivers real community impact.
And because incentives are better when excellence is rewarded, TIEZA is also acknowledging standout enterprises through the TIEZA RBE Awards, recognizing sustainability, service quality, and economic contribution.
Performance and Recognition
TIEZA’s unwavering commitment to excellence continues to earn national and international recognition, underscoring its role as a leading force in the country’s tourism development agenda. The agency has been consistently acknowledged as a Top-Performing GOCC (2022), received an Unqualified Opinion from the Commission on Audit for 2022–2024, and maintained ISO Certification since 2015—affirming its strong governance, operational efficiency, and adherence to global standards. TIEZA was also honored with the Infrastructure Project of the Year (Tourism) at the GovMedia Awards 2024 and recognized for Leadership in Tourism Development at the World Leaders Summit in the United Kingdom, demonstrating its growing influence in shaping resilient, future-ready tourism ecosystems. As global competition intensifies and travel demand continues to rise, TIEZA remains steadfast in its mission to ensure that tourism growth is sustainable, inclusive, and transformative.
A Call to Collaborate
As tourism competition rises regionally, COO Lapid closed with a call to action from its stakeholders;
“We invite tourism developers, innovators, and investors to take part in shaping the future of Philippine tourism. Together, we will continue building tourism together—one project, one partnership, and one destination at a time.”
It’s both a challenge and an opportunity especially for provinces, tourism estate developers, heritage advocates, and private sector investors eager to anchor projects on sustainability and community value.
For project information, investment guidelines, and TEZ incentives, check @TIEZAOfficial on Facebook, @tiezagovph on Instagram and X, or visit TIEZA.gov.ph.
