On the joy of travel for work and pleasure

MANILA, Philippines - Even after reaching her 25th year in the travel industry and her 15th in the company she feels most passionate for, Ligaya Tabirao, general manager of Mediterranean Tour Operators or Meteor Philippines, continues to love what she does.

Tabirao, with a degree in Foreign Service and Political Science from the Lyceum of the Philippines, had her first foray in the industry when she worked as a travel agent at the Philippine Travel Bureau Inc.

“During that time, travel agents were really high-profile. We had to be primped from head to toe, looking our best no matter what, as we were representing our companies,” recalls Tabirao, who was picked as one of the company’s front liners.

But five years later, she traded her glamorous job for a much more exciting venture with Iraqi Airways General Sales Agent (Topaz Travel Corp.). Far from the environment she was used to, she came face to face with responsibilities that endangered her life.

“In all the chaos during the Desert Storm, I had to repatriate OFWs from Baghdad who were stranded during the Gulf War. It was quite a difficult, not to mention very dangerous job,” she recounts.

In 1991, she joined Gulf Air General Sales Agent (DIMERCO) where she began as a sales representative and rose from the ranks, eventually becoming the operations manager.

“Operations (comprise) the life of the airlines. I had to manage the operations department, covering reservations, ticketing, and PTA,” she shares.

Tabirao was soon appointed as sales manager, promoted as product development manager, and finally landed the branch manager position.

“There were many things I learned on the job and I had to closely study how things worked. But I was able to do it because of my determination to prove that I was an asset to the company,” she says.

Despite her quick growth in the company, Tabirao further ventured through the travel industry and found herself with Meteor, where she started as regional director for sales and marketing for the Philippines and Guam, and eventually became its general manager in 2010. Meteor pioneered the Eastern Mediterranean traffic in the Philippines.

Of the land operator which she considers her “baby,” Tabirao says that after seeing the Philippine market’s improving status over the years, despite the economic crisis in Asia, she was keen on making Meteor’s services prevalent in the country, and in other key cities in Asia.

Soon, Meteor became the known one-stop-shop Mediterranean land operator, inviting travelers to discover must-see places in Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Dubai.

“To be honest, there is not really much difference with Meteor’s travel packages and that of others. But passengers choose Meteor because they trust us. Our service is very personal — we take care of everything, we are very sincere and passionate with our work, and we don’t hide anything from them because we do not want to jeopardize an individual’s life,” Tabirao says.

For what she has learned and eventually has become, Tabirao is all praises for her mentors. “From day one to my job now at Meteor, I have always worked with the boys. My bosses are all men,” she says, adding that from experience, she finds men easier to talk to and deal with. “I also respect them for the way they regard me. They won’t scratch your back or give you special treatment just because you are a woman.”

Tabirao also has high regards for her bosses from Israel: Ud Goldschmidt, who she regards as a good mentor, and Ersan Atsur, president of Orion Tours.

“They respect you as you, setting aside politics, religion, and gender differences,” she says. “They are not selfish; they tell me what to do and pass on their knowledge to me.”

Their mentorship, she reveals, helped her in managing Meteor, in conducting the company’s services and training people. “We want passengers to value our service, and we want to give them their money’s worth,” she says. “These two men also believe in investing in their own people — and the company has provided many opportunities for agents to learn and travel, such as the Agents Educational and Media Familiarization Tours, precisely because it is important for travel agents to understand what they are selling.”   

On how she invites passengers to such countries known for war and religious conflicts, she says, “We tell them the truth. If there’s conflict on the ground, we would tell customers that it’s not a good time. To those looking for better profit or business opportunities overseas, they are presented with the facts, how much they can potentially earn, and be asked if they are still willing to pursue it.”

Looking back at how long she has stayed in the industry, and why she still loves what she does, Tabirao shares, “I believe one becomes a better person through traveling. You get to meet people of different backgrounds, and in more ways than one, it’s educational, not just the destination itself but the entire experience.”

She further shares, “It has been a dream of mine to bring more people to the Holy Land, not only because I consider this destination my ‘baby,’ but also because I consider it my personal advocacy to spread the word of the Lord.” 

Her personal secret to success? “I enjoy interacting with people.” Perhaps this is why dealing with passengers with sincerity and zealousness comes second nature to Tabirao. “The best part of my job is the feedback I get from clients. It’s humbling that they trust and support me and Meteor when it comes to travel choices,” she says.