Philippines’ 19th Travel Tour Expo closes at 7 tonight

AILEEN C. CLEMENTE, co-chairperson of the 19th Travel Tour Expo 2012 and the president of Philippine Travel Agencies Association

MANILA, Philippines—Catch the last few hours Sunday of the ongoing 19th Travel Tour Expo at the SMX Convention Center across from the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

A lot of travel options and special packages with huge discounts are on offer only at the expo, which has some 450 booths of local and international travel agencies and tour operators, airline companies, government agencies, embassies, national tourism organizations, and hotels and resorts.

In this year’s expo, the Japanese embassy has participated for the first time, as Japan, whose tourism was adversely affected by last year’s destructive earthquake and tsunami, is trying to attract back tourists. The expo’s co-chairperson said, “We are looking forward to tourism through Japan to Philippines and Philippines to Japan.”

The expo features raffles, entertainments, games and exhibitors’ presentations.

Organized by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association with the Department of Tourism, the expo’s closing and awarding ceremony is scheduled at 5 p.m. Sunday. The expo closes at 7 p.m.–Rick Alberto