Travel fest expects higher sales this year

CEBU, Philippines – The 2nd International Travel Festival in Cebu this year is projected to generate higher sales, with organizers looking at doubling the revenues from both cash and credit card receipts made last year. 

“We are positive on that,” Stephanie Villahermosa, executive director of ITF organizer Eventology, told a press conference yesterday when asked on the possibility of surpassing the combined sales of P70 million generated last year. 

Villahermosa said they are targeting to have about 120 exhibitors of the travel fair slated on June 10-12 at the Ayala Center Cebu this year. That number has doubled from over 60 exhibitors in 2014. She said they are running half already as to the number of exhibitors.

She said they also aim to increase the number of visitors this year, hoping to exceed the 270,000 foot traffic recorded during the 2014 ITF.

The travel fair will gather various tourism stakeholders – travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, resorts, insurance brokers, airlines, international tourism bureaus, etc. – to offer travel deals and packages to travel enthusiasts.

Consumers are expected to splurge on discounted airline fares, hotel and resort deals and tour packages for both domestic and international travels.

She said South Korea was the popular foreign destination last year and this year, Japan is likely to take the lead. Batanes and Palawan came out to be the popular places in the 1st ITF and that Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen are seen to emerge as the top destinations this year. 

These travels are purposely made during the lean months in the tourism business. The lean season in the sector normally occurs in June, July, September, October and November, Villahermosa said.

The director said big city hotels from Cebu City and the country’s capital Manila are also expected to join the fair which is also aimed at supporting the tourism agency’s “Visit the Philippines 2015” campaign.

Judy Gabato, tourism operations chief of the Department of Tourism-7, also said during the conference the campaign aims to promote the Philippines as a major player in global tourism sector aside from being a tourist destination.

“[This] opens doors to tourism opportunities,” she said, referring to ITF which is supported by DOT, BPI, Globe and Ayala.

In an endorsement paper, DOT-7 Director Rowena Montecillo said the event will boost the tourism value chains, allowing tourism businesses to make travelling easier and affordable.

“[This] will serve as a unique platform for tourism stakeholders from the different National Tourism Organizations (NTO/Travel Bureaus), financial institutions, tourism related service providers and various operators (themed parks, cruises, insurance brokers, airlines, hotels and resorts travel agents and tour operators) in bringing their brand alive at a premier shopping and dining destination in Cebu,” read Montecillo’s letter.