Philippines first face to face Travel Trade Show
The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) beams with pride and joy after successfully staging first physical trade show in the country 28th PTAA Travel Tour Expo (TTE) and the 6th PTAA International Travel Trade Expo (ITTE) at the SM Megamall MegaTrade Hall in Mandaluyong City earlier this month. In her welcome speech, PTAA president Michelle Taylan shared her delight, “I know that Filipinos will continue to have that thirst for new experiences in new places. I know that travel enthusiasts have more bucket lists to check off. And there’s no better way to serve them opportunities to do so than the biggest travel trade event in the country.”
Aptly themed “Step into the Future, Yes to New Adventures,” the three-day expo featured 200 exhibitors and made it possible for the attendees to score huge deals on flights, accommodations, tour packages, and other leisure activities.
Exhibitors for the TTE included Baguio Country Club, Coast Boracay, Conrad Manila, Department of Tourism (DOT) – MIMAROPA, DOT VI, Dusit Hotel Davao, Japan National Tourism Organization Manila office, Guam Visitors Bureau, Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) Manila office, Malayan Insurance Company, Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay, Okada Manila, Patio Pacific Boracay, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and Tourism Malaysia. They got to present new travel options and offer just about any relevant information to potential holiday and business travelers, travel and tourism trade practitioners, government and business leaders, incentive and convention planners, direct buyers, and investors. The province of Capiz clinched the Most Interesting Booth title. The KTO Manila bagged the Most Popular Booth award. And the unique DOT-Tourism Promotions Board (TBP) exhibit that showcased a 3D video mapping of the walled city of Intramuros and projected visually striking and realistic views of renowned local destinations, took home the Most Unique Booth honors.
Meanwhile, some of the sellers and presenters for the ITTE, which simultaneously ran for two days, were Israel Ministry of Tourism, Royal European Travel, Taipei Marriott Hotel, and various travel agencies and tourism organizations from Morocco, Korea, Turkey, Malaysia, Japan, and New York, USA.
Among the guests who joined the festivities were DOT officers including Undersecretaries Verna Esmeralda Buensuceso, Roberto Alabado III, and Myra Abubakar, Assistant Secretaries Maria Rice Bueno and Woodrow Maquiling Jr., TBP officials, representatives of different local and international travel and tourism businesses, Ambassador of Mexico Gerardo Arredondo, Ambassador of Chile Claudio Rachel, Ambassador of Sri Lanka Shobini Gunasekera and her delegates, Minister Counsellor of Venezuela Embassy Rojyar Seyeddi, Charge d’affaires of Argentina Mauricio Munoz, Economic Officer of the US Embassy Saptarshi Basu, and Ambassador of Malaysia Norman Muhamad who graced the opening ceremony together with his delegates.
“It’s time to get back on our feet and make things happen for the hospitality industry again. I am positive that the recently concluded travel expos provided significant steps toward that direction. We sincerely believe that this got everyone excited for the prospect of tourism returning to its previous glory.” Taylan asserted.
ADVT.
