Manila travel expo drawing big names in global tourism

MANILA, Philippines - A travel expo slated in Manila next month is attracting big players in the global tourism industry, immediately turning it into a popular international event that it is designed to be.

This development was revealed by Travel Innovators Inc. president Raymond Tee, organizer of the Travel Madness Expo, which has been gaining the participation of prominent international airlines, wholesale travel agencies, popular global destinations, themeparks, hotels, resorts, restaurants, shopping malls, retirement communities, and other sectors of the tourism industry.

“We are honored to have the global industry’s big names in the Travel Madness Expo’s exhibitor list, which is growing by the day,” Tee said.

The list now includes All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Etihad Airways, Jeju Air Inc., Jetstar Asia Airways Pte Ltd., Ocean Park Hong Kong, Avilon Zoo, Resorts World Manila, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Star Cruises, various embassies and consulates, financial institutions, property developers, government corporations, and consumer outlets, among many others.

Also participating in the expo are domestic carriers AirPhil Express, Cebu Pacific Air, SEAIR and Zest Air, and international carriers Air China, Cathay Pacific Airways, Delta Airlines, Hawaiian Air, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines, Emirates, Eva Air, Malaysian Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines, among others.

Slated at the SMX Convention Center on July 20-22, the Travel Madness Expo is geared to become a one-stop shop for the traveling public, and a marketplace for all industry players in the national and global tourism supply chain.

“The expo includes business matching and networking for marketing tie-ups, joint ventures, supply contracts, advance booking, wholesale and retail travel transactions and many other lucrative deals, all intended to invigorate the industry during the lean months,” said Travel Innovators vice president Ma. Paz Alberto.

“With the theme ‘Travel Providers, Partners, and Consumers – Hitting It High On Low,’ this event is practically the travel industry’s version of the retail sector’s mega-sale, or a mad rush for bargains and big volume discounts regularly offered by malls and department store chains during the low season. That’s why we call our event ‘Travel Madness Expo,’ which is precisely to portray such a brisk and frantic activity that seemingly borders on madness,” Alberto said.

“In the expo, however, most participants are industry players themselves even as it involves a lot of consumer retail, all to be conducted in a festive mood that characterizes Philippine fiestas, making it a travel festival of sorts,” Alberto added.

She said the event’s program of activities would be revealed after its details would have been firmed up and finalized.

Earlier, Tee said the event was conceptualized to enable every participant to conduct both industry and consumer marketing on-site all at the same time.

The expo is supported by Citibank as official credit card sponsor, and Amadeus, Abacus and Galileo as official global distribution systems.

For more information on the expo, contact Travel Innovators at (632) 311-7500, 816-1999 or 816-2201; e-mail at travelinnovatorsinc@gmail.com or access www.twitter.com/1#/TravelMadness or www.facebook.com/TravelInnovatorsInc.