NEW YORK ? The Philippines took center stage at the New York Times Travel Show last weekend, featuring its panoramic sights, white-sand beaches, culture and foods.
?Philippine cuisine features a tasty blend of various cultures, a legacy of the country?s rich history,? said Emma Ruth Yulo, chief of Philippine Tourism based at the Philippine Consulate.
Yulo and her assistant demonstrated how to cook the famous ?Adobo Chicken? amid applause of the crowds as they tasted the adobo with ?pandesal.?
Yulo said the mixture of Malay, Chinese and Spanish influences has complemented Filipino traditional cooking style that is uniquely Filipino. Unlike the rest of Southeast Asia, Philippine cuisine is not spicy except for the Bicol region in Southern Luzon where many find spicy delights using coconut milk and pepper.
Philippine Consul General Cecile Rebong also showed audiences how to make ?halo-halo? as the audiences raved on the sweet samplings of it. She mixed fruits with ice and sugar to demonstrate how to make the dessert to the amusement of American audiences.
Thousands attend
Thousands attended the Travel Show exhibit at Jacob Javits convention from February 26 to February 28. This biggest travel show in the North East offered glimpse of culture and scenic spots of different countries. It featured 34 seminars with more than 50 top travel industry executives, the seminars provided comprehensive overview of the travel industry. Some 500 exhibitors representing 150 countries participated at the Travel Show.
?I like the variety of exhibitors. You can get information where you want to travel, I also like the seminars,? said Filipino Jonathan Hernandez who attended with his wife.
Hernandez said he also enjoyed the seminars of travel book authors Arthur and Pauline Frommer who presented survey on trips and destinations and the best deals for travelers this year. They signed copies of their books.
?It?s very informative, we learned about how to get better deals on cruises. We plan to go to Europe and the Philippines,? said Hernandez.
Other speakers took the audiences on a Baltic adventure to experience the history, culture and breathtaking beauty of diverse Northern European countries like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. They promoted cultural heritage tours, spa vacations, spiritual pilgrimages, nature getaways and journeys to Jewish Vilnius.
Other travelers attended a seminar on Cuba, a big destination for Canadians and Europeans but a forbidden fruit for Americans. The voices to lift travel restriction to Cuba have reached crescendo as travelers at the show urged President Barack Obama to allow non-tourist travel to Americans and open the door to many travelers.
John McAuliff of Travel Industry Network on Cuba said during the New York Times Travel Show Saturday, that he has written 20 letters to President Obama to urge the President to authorize general licenses for Americans who will travel to Cuba for educational, cultural, religious, humanitarian and sports travel .
The Spanish embassy featured its historically rich and vibrant cities and counted Barcelona and Madrid as wonderful cities, showing off its splendid architectural designs, historical sites, and urban landscapes. It also offered its beaches with crystal-clear water of the Canary Islands.
Stephanie Abrams, a travel expert and radio show host guided the audiences through the maze of airport security rules, customs, immigration, duties and baggage regulations and other rules.
Cultural shows
Cultural shows from Asia stage, Caribbean stage, Central America and European stages featured talents and cultures of different countries.
Bora Ozkok of Turkey passionately played wooden flutes and PVC pipe to present folk songs of Turkey. He also played an ancient oboe capturing the hearts of the audiences.
Lithuanian children Neringa Liutikaite and Nojus Liutikas dressed in their native dresses, sang folk songs about plant and doves to entertain the crowds at the European stage.
?We want to help to keep our traditions alive by singing our folk songs,? said Liutikaite.
The Japan National Tourism Organization members were dressed in colorful Kimona and danced on stage to present a cultural performance.
Selected hotels of Ireland and their staff presented a cultural performance to show the rich heritage of Ireland.
The Puerto Rico Tourism Company energized the crowds with Latin and African sounds and played drums to create wonderful rhythms of ?Danza Fiesta? and Salsa tunes.
Participants immersed themselves on various cultures amid the backdrop of tranquil beaches, nature and lush green foliage.
Everyone smiled to show they were having fun and were ready to take a path of wonderful traveling. Many participants were ready for a romantic getaway, eager to create lifelong memories with their families and partners.
Many were drawn to exhibits of nature, outdoor recreation, beaches, scenic countries, and mountains.
?We want to show that the Philippines is a beautiful option for vacation, There?s a big competition here, we need to be here to showcase the Philippines as a destination,? said Yulo.
