MANILA, Philippines - Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. declares the Travel Exchange 2013 open before more than 300 foreign and local participants at the SMX Convention Center Manila recently. The centerpiece of the Philippine Travel Exchange 2013, TRAVEX brings together leading travel agents from all over the world to do business with local tourism firms. This full day of business-to-business transactions generate volumes of foreign visitor arrivals to the Philippines from various countries where the foreign travel agents operate. Also constituting PHITEX 2013 were educational seminars on global market trends and opportunities for local industry players, and pre- and post-TRAVEX tours for the foreign guests to give them a first-hand experience of the country’s brand statement ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines.’