Registration is now open for the 2027 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour: Winter Escapade Edition, welcoming Filipino-Americans to tour the Philippines.
The Philippine government’s annual invitation welcomes Filipino-Americans, Filipino-Canadians and “friends of the Philippines” to rediscover the islands.
The fortnight-long tour offers participants the chance to experience the country’s culture, heritage and destinations.
Itinerary for 2027
Running from 7 to 17 February, the 2027 edition begins in Manila, where participants can choose from several day-tour options before heading to one of five pocket-tour destinations: Leyte, Legazpi-Naga, Siargao, Camiguin or Bohol.
From there, travellers pick between two closing itineraries, either Iloilo-Bacolod, showcasing the culture and cuisine of Western Visayas, or several island days in El Nido, Palawan.
Packages range from EUR1,428 to EUR2,760 (about US$1,658 to US$3,205 or PHP103,534 to PHP200,143), with registration open until 15 October.
At the tour’s Los Angeles launch on 25 August, Philippine Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz thanked the Southwest community for its continued support.
Returning participant Meg Ilagan spoke warmly of the “sense of fulfilment that came from reconnecting with the Philippines,” encouraging others to try the tour for themselves, as reported by the Philippine News Agency.
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Recap: 2026
This year’s tour marked the programme’s 22nd edition since it began in 2004 as an initiative of then foreign affairs secretary Alberto del Rosario.
Running from 12 to 21 July, it brought around 300 Filipino-Americans through Metro Manila, Cebu and, for the first time, Dumaguete, alongside side trips to Siquijor and Apo Island.
“We are visiting Dumaguete for the first time, as well as Siquijor and Apo Island,” said Rajah Tours president Jose Clemente III, as reported by BusinessMirror.
The basic package costs EUR1,649 (about US$1,915 or PHP119,584) per person, covering three-day stays each at Dusit Thani Manila, Liquid Dive Resort in Dumaguete, and Dusit Mactan.
Henry Hotel Dumaguete and Atmosphere Resort in Dauin are also offered as alternatives.
The tour has also grown alongside a broader travel trend.
The United States overtook South Korea this year as the Philippines’ top source of foreign visitors, with American arrivals reaching 591,569 between January and mid-June, a fifth of total arrivals for the period.
Filipinos in the US and Canada interested in the 2027 tour can register through the official VIP Tour website.
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