The 25th Philippine Travel Mart (Manila)

The 25th Philippine Travel Mart

The Negros Occidental Pavilion

The yearly, 3-day Philippines Travel Mart (PTM), the biggest travel trade exhibition in the promotion and marketing of domestic and inbound tourism, is the longest running travel trade exhibition in the Philippines.  

Now on its 25th year of staging (thus the logo “Its 25X More Fun in the Philippines”), this year’s staging was the biggest and most meaningful, with 245 exhibitors, truly worthy of this silver anniversary celebration. 

The Visit Davao Pavilion

The PTM is organized by the non-stock, non-profit Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), the biggest association of DOT-accredited tour operators and allied agencies (hotel, resorts, transportation companies, handicraft stores, and other tourism-oriented establishments) and associations that are actively involved and exclusively promote domestic and inbound tourism.  

The PHILTOA, with its nationwide membership, has been at the forefront of domestic tourism promotion, partnering with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its regional offices.

The author at Oriental Mindoro Pavilion

Tourism Quiz Bee

The double decker jeepney

This year’s Travel Mart had more colorful exhibits, 25 “Pasasalamat” Sale ng Bayan Tour packages, and bigger & exciting cultural events, making sure that 25th Philippine Travel is 25 times More Fun In the Philippines.  

Also on display is a sleek, airconditioned 40-seater double decker jeepney, designed by industrial engineer Mark Bautista and built by the Jeepney Company, Inc.,  with refrigerator, videoke, 2 televisions, microphones and speakers. It has 2 doors on both sides, 2 stairs to the second deck, is painted yellow and shows the Department of Tourism slogan "It's More Fun in the Philippines." 

The 2Go Pavilion

In view of the forthcoming 2015 implementation of the ASEAN Integration, which aims to promote seamless and border-less traveling within the region and the adoption of the Mutual Recognition Agreement among the ASEAN nation members, the organizing committee of the 25th Philippine Travel Mart will, for the first time, now include ASEAN regional packages and Twin City packages (Philippines+1 ASEAN City).

The Zamboanga Pavilion

The Philippine Airlines Pavilion

The “Sale ng Bayan” sells travel packages of twinned Philippine destinations and ASEAN cities such as Boracay-Bali (Indonesia), Puerto Princesa-Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)-Cebu, Laoag-Cambodia, Manila-Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), among others. The 2014 PTM will also showcase cultural competitive events like choral, cultural dance, the “Patimpalak ng Kasuotang Filipino,” the “Himig Kundiman” and the tourism quiz bee.

The Cebu Pacific Air Pavilion

This year's PTM  also racked up hundreds of must-grab travel deals on airfare and hotel stays.  Airline companies  such as Air Asia, Cebu Pacific Air (Php 1 fare to all domestic and ASEAN destinations, travel period from January 1 to March 2015) and Philippine Airlines, for instance, are slashing off their prices.  Local (as low as PhP2,307) and international (US$55) tours, inclusive of accommodation, round trip air transfers, daily breakfast and travel insurance, were also offered by tour operators. 

The ALMASOR Pavilion

Sili-flavored ice cream

The Bohol Pavilion, with its underwater theme featuring Anda as a new beach destination and the replica of the adrenaline-rushing bike zip of the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP), was awarded as the Best Pavilion in the Provincial Category. 

Votes are made by visitors, who are given 1 sticker upon registration.  They then place the stickers on a board designated for each pavilion. 

The ALMASOR (Albay, Masbate, Sorsogon) Pavilion offered delicious, bite-size pinangat slivers on crackers; halved tasty Guinobatan longganisas; packets of crunchy pili nut candies; luscious pili-infused chocolate bites; and gallons of sili and ginger-based ice cream (where a circling queue of eager visitors waiting patiently to have a taste).

The author trying out the bike zip at Chocolate Hills Adventure Park at the award winning Bohol Pavilion