About the Event
It’s the time of the year when we review our travel bucket list and plan our holidays for the coming Holiday season ahead of us. Yes, the 29thPhilippine Travel ( Mart 29thPTM) is definitely on, as we approach the opening of the 29thPTM on 31 August this Friday. The three- day event will run until 02 September 2018.
On its 29th year, the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) is the longest running travel exhibition organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA). PTM is strongly committed to the promotion of domestic and inbound tourism. The annual event showcases Philippine destinations and updated tour product offerings for domestic and foreign visitors in the country. The dynamism of the event is shown by including ASEAN destinations and its 3 strategic partners (China, Japan and Korea) as we embrace the ASEAN Economic Community.
Our theme, “New Paradise Found…. and the Fun Continues” is an offshoot of the rehabilitation of Boracay whom we thought has been a "paradise lost". Announced to open before the end of this year, the PTM aims to showcase the newly rehabilitated Boracay Island and other newly discovered destinations here in the Philippines and ASEAN destinations. These destinations should be within the parameters of established good practices in terms of sustainable, inclusive and responsible tourism. In line with the tourism advocacy of PHILTOA.
For the last 3 years, Batanes has been a consistent star destination where public patiently lines up to avail of the best promo fares and packages . Coron, Boracay, Ilocos and Bohol stood up as the top local destination pick. Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand remain the favorites for the APT (ASEAN + 3) destinations.
Do we have any emerging Star destinations this year? Siargao will definitely be a frontliner together with Carles in Iloilo, Capiz , Clark in Pampanga, Subic and Zambales, Camiguin and Siquijor. Other destinations are already within the millennial radar can even pose a big surprise like Romblon, Marinduque, La Union, Catanduanes, Sorsogon and more upcoming destinations. One can get the latest update on these destinations and at the same time avail the discounted tour packages through the Sale ng Bayan. Last year, the event registered a combined sale of almost 150 million pesos.
PHILTOA, intends to showcase eco-cultural tourism products highlighting the involvement of community based tourism activities focusing on sustainable tourism products and services making them accessible to the mainstream tourism market during the 29th Philippine Travel Mart.
Special features of the event:
• Business meetings - Direct meeting with the potential clients’ right at the show floor.
• Sale ng Bayan - B to C meeting that will allow our travelling consumers to “book and buy”
promotional holiday packages, one time promotional deals on airfares, accommodation and other tourism related services, to be exclusively offered only during the 3-day event. Sale ng Bayan Tour Packages including island fun tour caravan and “bucket” list destination packages are for as low as 70% off.
• The Philippine Travel Mart’s Special Cultural Events will again be one of the main features of the PTM happening simultaneously during the exhibition. Happening on stage are school based competitions: Eco Chorale, Harana ng Kundiman, Patimpalak ng Kasuotang Pilipino, Cultural Dance Competition and the Philippine Tourism Quiz Bee Finals.
The 29thPhilippine Travel Mart” promotes seamless and borderless travelling within the region. ASEAN destinations twinned with Philippine tour packages will be one of the highlights of tour offerings during the event. From 215 companies who exhibited last year, the 29thPTM will have about 250 exhibitors occupying 3,400 square meters of exhibition space at the SMX Convention Center (Halls 1-4) in Pasay City.
Main feature destinations this year are : Capiz-Iloilo, La Union, Siargao, Leyte-Samar, China and Malaysia.
The 29thPTM is co-presented by the Department of Tourism through Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB Philippines). PLDT is the main broad band partner while Metro Bank is the official Credit Card Bank Company.
A wide range of media partners from GMA 7, ABS-CBN. Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror, The Foreign Post, Travel Life Magazine and ClickTheCity.com. The event is also supported by Shop Back, Waters Philippines and The City Government of Pasay. Our advocacy partners are ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation and UNICEF.