With award-winning talent from the Philippines, the Department of Tourism last night staged a teaser presentation before 1,200 travel industry players in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on what Visit the Philippines Year will look like.

A set of performances, which includes the Filipino contingent that won the 2014 World Hip Hop dance competition in Las Vegas, perked up the audience during the Philippine night of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) and turned the cocktails area into a dance floor. About 300 buyers and 900 sellers are in Myanmar for the annual ATF.

The Philippines hosted last night’s dinner where it announced that ATF 2016 will be held in Manila on January 15 to 22. The 2016 edition will be the first time a tourism conference and investment fair will run in tandem, designed to promote the region as a tourism investment hub.

The DOT aims to drive up tourism traffic and income to the Philippines this year through Visit the Philippines program, which coincides with its hosting APEC meetings until November 2015.

Among the are Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival (March 6-8), Madrid Fusion Manila (April 24-26), MTV Music Evolution Manila Hip-Hop 2015 (May 9), and APEC Economic Leadership Meeting (November).

“VPY 2015 gives us tremendous opportunities to showcase why many countries call us the ‘New Asian Miracle’. All the activities lined up this year serve to highlight the country’s improving competitiveness and the ‘new Philippine atmosphere’,” said Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. in a statement.