A NEW industry player has attributed the “good” sales of her business to the continual flow of domestic and international tourists to Cebu City.

Smartway Travel and Tours Services branch manager Honey Talisic said that although she is still new in the business, she has been reaping good sales since she started operating in January.

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“This is because more international tourists come to the Philippines for a vacation, and the tourism department has been intensively promoting local destinations like Boracay, Bohol and Palawan,” she said. She added that more and more tourists come because of the fine beaches ideal for scuba diving and other water activities.

Smartway Travel and Tours Services, located in Junquera Extension, Cebu, offers services like package tours; ticketing services; and passport, National Statistics Office, National Bureau of Investigation and visa processing to outbound and inbound clients.

Although it is too early to get back the P500,000 she invested in the business, especially with several economies still feeling the effects of the global financial crisis, she is optimistic that more tourists will visit the Visayas as the holiday months of December and January draw near.

“We are now checking on hotel and tour packages to offer for the holidays,” she said.

Talisic said the current economic situation is a challenge that has required her to aggressively promote the business by giving travel and tour packages at cheaper prices.

“There are more than 50 travel agencies in the market today, so you really have to make extra effort in marketing the business to the clients,” she said.

She shared that Smartway is eyeing clients coming from India and Dubai because of the growing number of business process outsourcing and information technology companies in Cebu.

Talisic wants to own a ticketing business of her own soon, this time concentrating more on local tourists.