As the mother of all local travel shows once exhorted: “Don’t be a foreigner in your own country.” Rediscover the beauty and wonders of the Philippines while instilling pride in yourself, as you travel again for the first time perhaps since the pandemic. The Philippine Travel Mart, which opens today at SMX MOA, has plenty of irresistible deals waiting for you.
Time to pack those travel essentials, from swimsuits and swimming trunks to sunblock and sunglasses, and rediscover the beauty of the Philippines.
After two years of strict travel restrictions, the Philippine Travel Operators Association makes up for it in a big way by holding the biggest travel bazaar in the country–the 33rd Philippine Travel Mart (PTM). Slated September 30 to October 2, at the SMX Convention Center Manila, MOA Complex in Pasay City, the event gathers 300 of the most prestigious and respected brands and institutions in the tourism, hospitality, and travel and tours industries under one roof. Occupying SMX Manila’s four grand event halls, PTM 2022 will feature dressed-up booths and pavilions representing the attractions, colors and cultures of particular destinations, regions, resorts and hotels.
For the first time, the country’s regions will be featured in their own pavilion, making a visit to the PTM a veritable tour of the entire Philippines. This gives visitors a chance to see the wide-ranging array of attractions that tourists and travelers can experience and enjoy throughout the country.
The participation of the regions, namely, Ilocos Region (Region I), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon – (Region 4‑A), MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan – Region 4-B), Bicol Region (Region 5), Western Visayas (Region 6), Central Visayas (Region 7), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), Northern Mindanao (Region 10), Davao Region (Region 11), SOCCSKSARGEN, (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos – Region 12), Caraga (Region 13), CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the NCR, only signifies the dynamic revival of the country’s local tourism industry.
The PTM has always been a source of excitement for both local and international tourists seeking to explore and experience the beauty of the country’s more than 7,000 islands. In its last pre-pandemic staging, the PTM generated an astounding 53,000 in foot traffic and a total sales of P 60 million.
This year, with “revenge” traveling in full swing after more than two years of strict travel protocols and lockdowns, more Filipino tourists can expect to discover more destinations to explore at this year’s PTM, with multiple options for all kinds of travel: meetings, incentives, conferences and event (MICE), entertainment, cruises, cultural and agro/farm/eco-tourism; and health, wellness and culinary.
In support of the PTM and the Philippine tourism industry in general, the Department of Tourism headed by Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco is seeking to increase the product portfolio available to both local and international tourists. In the official launch of the PTM, Sec. Frasco said, “The DOT is working on developing new regional tourism surveys that will highlight nature-based tourism, MICE tourism, food and gastronomy, our heritage and culture, health and wellness, the arts and more. All these tourism dimensions will get equal promotion, attention, and support as we expand ourselves from the traditional portfolio and go into multi-dimensional tourism.”
For its part, PHILTOA promises a fun-filled travel bazaar that guarantees visitors an array of treats and surprises that have made the annual travel mart a much-anticipated event. “It is with great joy and excitement that we invite everyone to the biggest Philippine Travel Mart to date. We’ve been waiting for a long time and now is the perfect time to travel again, support local businesses and explore the Philippines and beyond. There are so many reasons to explore the Philippines. We hope visitors will find amazing deals at PTM, as well as gain more knowledge about our own country,” said PHILTOA president Ms. Fe Abling-Yu.
Discover more of what the regions have to offer at the 33rd Philippine Travel Mart from September 30 to October 2 at Halls 1-4, SMX Convention Center Manila, MOA Complex.
For more information, visit www.philtravelmart.com, contact the PHILTOA Secretariat at (632) 8812-4513, 8822-6964, or email philtravelmart@philtoa.com. Follow Philtoa and PTM on Facebook and Instagram @philtravelmart for updates.
