Travel fair to promote tourism during lean months

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2016/06/29/travel-fair-promote-tourism-during-lean-months-482357
• Wednesday, June 29, 2016

By Katlene O. Cacho

TO encourage travel and tourism all year round, Cebu-based MyEventology Co. is staging the International Travel Festival (ITF) next month at the Ayala Center Cebu.

Now on its third year, the three-day travel fair on July 15 to 17 is set to bring the best travel packages and new destinations locally and abroad.

With the theme “Don’t Dream, Just Go,” the ITF brings together over 100 exhibitors, including national tour operators, airlines, hotels, resorts, travel agents, financial institutions and insurance agents.

Stephanie Villahermosa, executive director of MyEventology, said ITF was designed to gather advanced bookings for the lean months (July to October) and stir travel and tourism all year round.

Highlighted this year are destinations that Cebu already has direct access to such as Japan, which, Villahermosa added, has become the popular getaway among Filipinos these days. Also in the list are Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Dubai, Australia and other long-haul flights.

Cruise packages are likewise available, especially that travelng in style is gaining popularity among Filipino tourists.

The consumer travel show will also feature new local destinations.

MyEventology has invited different tourism regional offices in the country to join the exhibition and encourage local and foreign tourists to explore their respective regions.

Aside from the usual tourism magnets like Boracay, Bohol and Palawan, Villahermosa said the travel expo will also feature emerging local spots like those found in Caraga and Eastern Visayas.

“We have plenty of local destinations which we will feature during the ITF. We will continue to focus on domestic tourism, as this is our most resilient market,” said Villahermosa, managing director of Divaishnavi International Inc.

From 60 exhibitors in 2014, the ITF attracted thousands of visitors with 82 exhibitors last year.

In 2014 alone, exhibitors generated P12 million from credit card sales.

“We are happy to note that our visitor rate has grown steadily and that we have provided results to our participating exhibitors,” said Villahermosa in a statement. “It is really gratifying for us knowing that the show has not only generated sales for the exhibitors, but has likewise enabled them to reinforce their relationship proximity with their clients.”

While mounting travel fairs help tourism players become productive, especially during the lean months, Villahermosa hopes better opportunities in tourism will arise, following the appointment of Wanda Corazon Teo as the incoming tourism chief.

Teo, like Villahermosa, is also a travel and tour operator. She owns Mt. Apo Travel and Tours and was the president of National Association and Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas) Philippines Inc., one of the biggest tourism organizations in the country.

“We hope she will be able join us next month,” said Villahermosa.

Last year’s ITF also paved the way for the creation of the first Cebu Travel Exchange (CTX), a business networking trade event for tourism stakeholders that is in partnership with the Tourism Promotions Board of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The business-to-business activity aims to explore business opportunities in travel and tourism.

This year’s edition though, according to Villahermosa, is taken a notch higher than last year’s, as there will be about 30 foreign buyers from Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and United Arab and Emirates that will be linked to Philippine sellers from various sectors in tourism— leisure, special interest (golf, diving, wedding destination, education) and meetings, incentive, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) to explore business opportunities.

The one-day CTX is scheduled on July 14 at the Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu.

The organizers have also adopted July 16 as Tourism Students Day. The group invited top universities in Cebu, particularly those with tourism courses, for a day of learning and fellowship. Among the activities lined up include quiz bees, industry talks and the search for Ms. ITF Ambassadress.

The third ITF is in line with DOT’s Visit the Philippines Again 2016, a campaign to encourage repeat visitors to the Philippines.