Traveltour Expo at SMX Convention Center

The Philippines Department of Tourism projects revenues from domestic tourism to hit PI .4 trillion in 2014, higher by P110.6 billion of the expected earnings from domestic tourism in 2013 due in large part to a forecasted increase in the daily expenditures by domestic tourists.

The increasing number of local travelers may be attributed to the promotions and expositions being held by the Philippine Travel

Agencies Association (PTAA), which has been organizing the an­nual Traveltour Expo to be held this year at the SMX Convention Center from Feb. 14 to 16.

The PTAA has been holding TTE since Feb. 1994 varying from inbound and outbound expos until it decided to promote both inbound and outbound tourism in the latter years, said TTE execu­tive director Marciano “Nit” Ragaza.

The 21st Traveltour Expo, which promises to be the biggest and most diverse in terms of exhibitors, will be held at Halls 1 to 4 at the ground floor of SMX and function room 5 on the second floor. The event features 53 travel agencies and tour operators, 27 airlines, five cruise lines, 96 hotels and resorts, 14 embassies and travel organizations, and six theme parks.

With the theme, “Love Life, Love Travel,” the Traveltour Expo 2014 has the Department of Tourism, Philippine Airlines and Citibank as its major sponsors. Additional sponsors are Globe Telecom and Asia Miles with the Philip­pine STAR as the official media partner.

Entrance fees are P50 for the general public (including students and children) and P20 for senior citizens. The public can queue for the best deals and packages from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 16.