Region 2 Recognizes Outstanding Student-Led Tourism Start-Upin TSC 2025 Regional Vetting

iThe Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 2, in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region 2, convened the Tourism Start-Up Challenge (TSC) 2025 Regional Vetting on 11 February 2026 at the CHED Region 2 Auditorium in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The event brought together top provincial qualifier teams composed of college students from tourism and other academic disciplines, showcasing interdisciplinary collaboration in developing innovative tourism start-up concepts.

Provincial qualifier teams from across Region 2 took center stage to present and defend their visionary tourism start-up proposals before an esteemed panel of academic and industry experts. Through dynamic presentations and in-depth question-and-answer sessions, the teams demonstrated the creativity, feasibility, and

transformative potential of their projects for the region’s tourism sector.

After a rigorous and highly competitive evaluation, Saint Mary’s University (Nueva Vizcaya Province) – 4PAUSE was proclaimed as the Regional Winning Team. The team received Php 250,000.00 seed funding from the DOT and CHED as initial capital to bring their innovative tourism venture to life.

As Region 2’s Regional Champion, Saint Mary’s University will represent the region in the National Vetting, where they will compete with the best start-up proposals nationwide for a chance to be among the Top Three (3) National Winners to receive Php 5,000,000.00 in project funding support.

The Tourism Start-Up Challenge highlights the role of higher education institutions in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, encouraging students from diverse fields to collaborate in designing tourism ventures with real-world application. Through this initiative, the Department of Tourism strengthens the pipeline of future tourism professionals and innovators who can contribute to sustainable and inclusive tourism development in the Philippines.#