After a two-year hiatus, the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Inc. announces the return of the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) for its 33rd year with a theme “Safe Travels.”
A safer and more relaxed environment awaits eager travelers looking for memorable tropical adventures.
Fe Abling-Yu, PHILTOA president, said this year’s edition will be the biggest Philippine Travel Mart to date.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time and now is the perfect time to travel again, support local businesses, and explore the Philippines and beyond,” Yu said.
The three-day travel expo starts on September 30and will feature over 200 exhibitions from local and international participants showcasing exclusive domestic and international travel packages, some of which offer the best bang for every traveler’s buck. With sustainable tourism and community engagement in mind, the PTM only partners with reputable agencies and businesses.
Every year it is part of the expo’s mission to highlight new discoveries for travelers to explore, while also showcasing the best islands in the archipelago: from award-winning islands recognized around the world to cultural hotspots to experience the rich and vivid history and culture of Filipinos.
New discoveries
With all regions of the Philippines participating in the three-day event, it is the best place to know more about the wonders of Luzon, the riches of Visayas, and the colors of Mindanao.
Local tourism is at the forefront of the expo with a zone designated for different offers: Yellow Zone for MICE and Entertainment; Blue Zone for Beach, Cruise, and Marine Sports; Green Zone for Cultural and Agro/Farm/Eco-Tourism; and Pink Zone for Health, Wellness, and Culinary.
Each zone is bursting with information and offers from duly accredited tour and travel agencies, hotels and resorts, theme parks, airlines, as well as provincial and regional agencies.
“There are so many reasons to explore the Philippines and our ASEAN neighbors,” Yu added.
“We hope visitors will find amazing deals at PTM, as well as gain more knowledge about our own country.”
There will be interactive booths highlighting Philippine regions and the biggest among them will be the Mindanao exhibition.
Travelers of all ages and budget levels will find something to explore at PTM with Asean tour packages in breathtaking Bali, historic Siem Reap, and bustling Ho Chi Minh.
More packages in must-visit Asian destinations like Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea are also available at the expo.
Taking the expo to more high-tech and convenient heights, visitors can scan the QR codes of exhibitors to find their locations as well as conduct paperless transactions.
Whether clients are traveling for business or for leisure, solo or with a group, the Philippine Travel Mart will give them more reasons to pack those bags and go exploring.
Connectivity, convenience
At the launch event, Christina Garcia-Frasco, DOT secretary, has identified the focus points for the recovery of the industry, focusing on connectivity, convenience, and equality.
The tourism chief said that connectivity aims to ensure that our tourist destinations are accessible through improved transportation networks, affordable travel costs, improved infrastructure and gateway access.
She added that the DOT will also provide a convenient and better tourism experience for both foreign and domestic travelers through standardized travel protocols.
The DOT is also working on developing new regional tourism circuits that will highlight nature-based tourism, MICE tourism, food and gastronomy, our heritage and culture, farm and agri-tourism, health and wellness, the arts, and more.
“All these tourism dimensions will get equal promotion, attention, and support as we expand ourselves from the traditional portfolio and go into multidimensional tourism,” she explained.
To protect the tourist destinations, sustainable tourism practices will be integrated with wider economic, social and environmental policy considerations within an overall sustainable development framework.
“We must therefore look to the basic elements of sustainable development as guideposts in the revival and continued recovery of the tourism industry, namely: ecological sustainability, economic sustainability, and equity,” Frasco noted.
Significantly, these plans are bound to make certain that no tourist destination gets left behind in the process of development, she assured.
‘Distinctly Filipino’
Meanwhile, Frasco said they are eyeing on bringing improvements to the country’s air and seaports to encapsulate the “Filipino Brand” and give tourists a good first and last impression when they visit The Philippines.
In a meeting with Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, the tourism chief noted that as the primary gateway to the country, airports and seaports play an integral role in the overall tourist experience and the tourism value chain.
The DOT, she added, envisions improving existing facilities in both airports and seaports by introducing enhancements that will make the ports more aesthetically pleasing, convenient, tourist-friendly, and most importantly, reflective of the “Filipino Brand”.
“Aside from improving convenience to travelers and tourists, the DOT also looks at putting a ‘Filipino Brand’ to our ports, a good image of the Philippines that would remain in the memories of visitors to the country before touring different destinations in the Philippines and long after they have left,” Secretary Frasco said.
Some of the DOT’s recommended enhancements include the installation of signages that will have a uniform look in all air and seaports, as well as the use of lighting, backdrop, and furniture that will distinctly reflect the “Filipino Brand”.
Frasco noted that the DOT wants “the experience to be positive for all senses” and that there will also be interactive displays that will feature various artists and artisans to make the airport experience extraordinary and experiential for travelers.
In addition to aesthetically appealing ports, the DOT is also pushing for a passenger experience that is stress-free with more efficient service and reduced passenger waiting time. DOT recommends a One-Stop-Shop for land, air, and sea connectivity with provision for digitalized service to facilitate efficiency. The Department also committed a tourism assistance desk with trained personnel to facilitate visitors’ concerns.
Frasco likewise underscored the need to provide appropriate features and facilities in gateways and transport hubs for persons with disabilities (PWDs) as part of the Department’s advocacy for Barrier Free Tourism. Availability of wheelchairs, elevators with PWD -friendly features, clearly designated PWD parking slots, and check-in counters with low and recessed or split-level counters that can accommodate persons seated on wheelchairs were among the proposals of the DOT.
