Tuesday, August 28, 2007 Tourism fair organizers pick Cebu as venue
CAPITALIZING on the growth of the Philippines’ tourism industry, particularly in Cebu, international and local stakeholders are expected to flock to the Central Visayas province for the 1st Philippine International Tourism Fair (PITF) and the Travel Exchange simultaneously.
The PITF is organized by the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas) while Phitex is being mobilized by the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corp. (PCVC), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
The event, which will be from Sept. 5 to 7 will be held at the Cebu International Convention Center and will gather around 150 European, American, Asian and Middle Eastern tour operators, corporate buyers, holiday specialists, tourism attaches and other foreign buyers from more than 25 countries.
Centerpiece
Naitas president Angel Ramos Bognot explained that the travel organization has chosen to hold the fair in Cebu because of the growing interest of the international market on Cebu both for leisure and business.
“Cebu is the centerpiece of our marketing program because it has the elements and ingredients of a perfect tourist destination. If we succeed in promoting and selling Cebu, definitely there will be renewed interest in other tourist destinations,” said Bognot, who is also this year’s PITF chairperson.
Discussions
She said this is the first time the Philippines will host an international travel trade event where the set-up will be business-to-business discussions.
The fair will be a combination of “tabletop” discussions between foreign and local buyers and sellers and a trade show where domestic and international entities could showcase their destinations.
Package
“The foreign buyers will explain what they want, what they need, how we can work with them and how we can do a tour package that is tailor-made for them. Through these meetings and interaction, local tour operators and organizers would be able to tap these foreign markets, especially new ones,” Bognot said in a statement furnished to Sun.Star Cebu.
While the first two days will be exclusive for trade buyers, the last day of the event will, however, be open to the public and is intended to promote domestic tourism.
“We would like people to know—from vendors to janitors, tricycle drivers and housewives—to understand that there is so much dignity in tourism activities so we always involve the community so (residents) can create a living through tourism. It’s a kind of multiplier effect to economy,” she said.
Concept
Buyers joining the event are from the United States, Germany, France, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Korea, India and the United Arab Emirates, as shown by PCVC records since it is also incharge of inviting the foreign executives.
Ed Nuque, the event co-chairperson, said the concept of the PITF is similar to the travel fairs being held in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, China and Europe.
“Many countries have their own international trade shows. We would like to start breaking into that market and, through the PITF, pave the way for a very successful positioning of the Philippines, specifically Cebu and Central Visayas,” Nuque said.
While, at present, DOT is concentrating on four major markets—Japan, Korea, China and North America—Bognot is optimistic that with the staging of the PITF, new foreign markets could be developed.
She added the three-day affair will spark more tourism-related activities for Central Philippines, particularly in Cebu, and may help DOT surpass its target of three million tourist arrivals this year. (MMM)
