Int'l Travel Tour Expo opens

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The 3-day Philippine Int'l Travel Tour Expo, the biggest event for the travel and tourism industry in the country, opened at the SMX Convention Center in Metro Manila today.

This year's fair has expanded from last year's 477 booths to current 532 set up by 257 foreign and domestic exhibitors, as tourists continue to grow, said the organizer.

Travel agencies, hotels and airlines from China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa and the region of Hong Kong offered participants a variety of scenic spots with excellent quality and reasonable prices.

As for Philippine market, traditional sightseeing spots such as Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Davao and Puerto Princesa continue to be highlights of the fair, while emerging destinations including Baler, which has 15 resorts, Camotes Islands, a group of islands that form part of Cebu province, Leyte and Samal Islands also drew attention of the participants.

"The tours booked at the expo could serve as a dry run for new destinations before tour operators actively promote their sites abroad," said a tourism official.

The Expo, jointly organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), will run through Feb. 17.

The Philippines played host to a record 4.27 million visitors in 2012, up 9.07 percent from the previous year. The government expects the arrival of 5.5 million of foreign tourists and 35 million domestic visitors in 2013 through its branding campaign project "It's More Fun in the Philippines."