Features July 02, 2026

How Philippine Consumer Fairs Create Opportunities for Small Businesses

A husband-and-wife team built a portfolio of consumer fairs after recognizing that small business exhibitors were underserved by existing events in the Philippines.

Despite the rise of digital experiences, businesses utilize in-person events like trade shows and lifestyle fairs to build customer relationships and drive engagement through in-person experiences.

It was a gap in the events industry that spurred Jade Co to found AFTPH Corporation, an events management and marketing company, in 2011.

There was an opportunity to build an ecosystem where small businesses could grow, she said in a July 1 interview.

“I was an exhibitor before [myself], and I experienced what it felt like to invest in a proper booth and hope that the organizer understood what businesses needed,” Jade, who serves as the company’s CFO and marketing director, said in a July 1 interview.

Her first foray was Trendsetter’s Bazaar, a multi-brand retail showcase, where she encountered the challenges of logistics.

“I wasn’t aware that we could actually hire a whole team of electricians to do the work for us,” she said on Google Meet. “I was the one lining the booths, putting up the electricity.”

In the beginning, they had to to their own research and database gathering, said Vincent Brian Co, company president and Jade’s husband.

“We were not having our weekends most of the time, because we were busy doing trade checks, talking to exhibitors, giving them a cold call, and telling them why they should trust us,” he said in the same interview.

AFTPH returned in 2014 and scaled their operations following a three-year hiatus. They hosted two events at the Metro Tent and World Trade Center in 2014, and then conducted over 20 events per year by 2016 and 2017, increasing their exhibitor count along the way to 200 to 300 per event from the previous 120-140.

The trajectory mirrors the development of the local Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.

Tourism-related industries, which encompass this sector, contributed P2.27 trillion, or 8.1% of the Philippine economy, in 2025.

Trade fairs move small businesses beyond one-time transactions toward longer-term market relationships and brand growth, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

In February 2026, the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers and the Tourism Congress of the Philippines launched a MICE Guidebook to streamline how the global market engages with local venues.

Expanding a Consumer Fair Portfolio One Life Stage at a Time

Frequently Asked Questions

What are consumer fairs and how do they work in the Philippines?

Consumer fairs are organized in-person events where businesses pay to exhibit their products or services to a curated audience of buyers and shoppers. In the Philippines, these range from lifestyle bazaars and wedding expos to family-oriented product showcases. Organizers typically earn revenue through booth fees, sponsorships, and ticketing, while exhibitors gain direct access to potential customers in a concentrated setting.

What events does AFTPH Corporation organize in the Philippines?

AFTPH Corporation is a Philippine events management and marketing company that organizes a portfolio of consumer fairs, including Trendsetter's Bazaar, a multi-brand retail showcase; Toast Wedding Fair, a wedding services exhibition; Manila Mama, a family products expo; and the Travel Sale Fair. The company is also set to launch an HR Expo in 2026.

How much does it cost to exhibit at a consumer fair in the Philippines?

Costs vary by event type and scale. Lifestyle retail bazaars may charge exhibitors a minimum of P20,000 to P25,000 for a booth, while more specialized events such as wedding fairs can carry entry points of P40,000 to P50,000 or higher. Exhibitors should also factor in additional costs such as display setup, staffing, and promotional materials.

Why do in-person consumer fairs remain relevant alongside e-commerce in the Philippines?

Despite the growth of online shopping, in-person fairs continue to draw both businesses and consumers because face-to-face interaction builds trust in ways digital channels have not fully replaced. For small businesses in particular, fairs offer a concentrated opportunity to demonstrate products, collect real-time feedback, and build customer relationships. Consumers, meanwhile, are increasingly intentional about which brands they support — a dynamic that makes curated, experience-driven events a stronger draw than a product listing alone.

How does the consumer fair business connect to the broader Philippine MICE sector?

Consumer fairs fall within the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, a segment of the Philippine tourism and events industry. Tourism-related industries contributed P2.27 trillion, or 8.1% of the Philippine economy, in 2025. To support the sector's continued growth, the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers and the Tourism Congress of the Philippines launched a MICE Guidebook in February 2026 to help the global market better engage with local venues and organizers.

Patricia Mirasol

Managing Editor

Patricia Mirasol has spent the better part of a decade telling stories that matter, and building the teams and platforms to tell them well. A former multimedia journalist and producer at BusinessWorld — where she covered health, technology, and MSMEs and eventually co-led the online team — she's now managing editor at the refreshed The Business Manual.

Her work has been recognized by the Philippine Space Agency, the Philippine Press Institute, and the Department of Science and Technology, and spans articles, podcasts, videos, and immersive long-form features on topics close to everyday Filipino life: motorcycle taxis, water systems, and beyond.

See more stories by Patricia Mirasol

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