Almost everyone, it seems. All you need to do is check the front page of any newspaper and you are sure to read that good times (for the Philippines–and all other countries too) are light years away.
But before you decide that the best cure for our ills is a good anti-depressant and hibernation for a year and a day, consider this: Perhaps a trip, a tour away from all the worries that your day-to-day life has to offer is the best medicine for that sagging spirit. Too expensive, you say? Not necessarily. A dream vacation might be closer than you think.
"We are trying to promote the unusual travel destinations in the country," says Annette Feliciano, Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) officer-in-charge. Matter of fact, so optimistic is Annette that she is convinced that the 9th TravelTour Expo which is to be held at the Mega Trade Center, SM Megamall from February 8 to 10 aims to break the P20M earnings that the fair made last year.
"Erap had just been removed from office and even last year we were in a quandary as to whether the fair should push through. But at that time we felt we had to because the country was down," recalls Annette. "This year it seems that the world economy is down. Especially after the Sept. 11 bombings at the World Trade Center in New York. Here in the Philippines, our economy doesn’t seem to be picking up either. So we at the PTAA see the current situation as an opportunity to make our fellow Filipinos discover just how wonderful and safe the country really is."
The TravelTour Expo, which has been entitled "The world within your reach", is aimed at budget conscious yet travel savvy holiday seekers, says Annette. Organizers have tapped 50 local and 50 international travel agents to join the fair. "We have also asked all participants to offer airfares which have special packages like free meals, free tours and even free overnight stays at the hotels participating in their promos," says Annette encouragingly.
"One of the most popular destinations in the region is Bangkok. Some people say that it has overtaken Hong Kong as being the most popular choice. It helps that there are so many cheap travel packages to Bangkok, especially if a person opts to take the evening flight. And of course everything in Bangkok is cheap, from food to clothes to accommodation. The fact that Bangkok is also safe for tourists is another added attraction. But the travel agents are also trying to push Hong Kong, because many Filipinos love Hong Kong. Then there is Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Singapore and now China," says Annette.
But Annette is quick to add that together with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the local travel tour groups are giving a good push for traveling within the country. "We are trying to promote the not-so- well-known destinations which have good accommodations for families looking for a special holiday together," says Annette.
She says that the DOT is convinced that Filipinos would get a better knowledge and appreciation of the Philippines if they traveled to places like Bohol, Guimaras, Dumaguete, Bais, Siquijor and even Palawan.
"There are so many wonderful local destinations for the nature-loving Filipino. Panglao Beach Resort in Bohol is very beautiful. Of course when one is in Bohol there are the Chocolate Hills and the endangered tarsier, which is native to Bohol. Bais is where people can get to go whale watching and Guimaras in Iloilo has many lovely beaches," Annette enumerates. "The Heritage Tours in Ilocos, Vigan, La Union and San Fernando are also beautiful."
Palawan, despite the recent misfortune of Abu Sayyaf kidnappings, is still one of the places being promoted, simply because it is such a beautiful place. It is a matter of considering safety as a principal factor in planning a holiday.
But can Filipinos really afford to travel in these hard times?
"The DOT report shows that during the recent long Christmas holidays, resorts in the different local destinations were fully-booked," is Annette’s positive response.
Annette explains that in the past, the TravelTour Expo used to be held in March. But travel agents complained that by that time most people had already made up their minds as to where they were going to spend the Holy Week. "This is why we opted to move the Travel Expo up to February so that people can have more options about where they can spend the Holy Week and also their summer vacation."
This year, the DOT will have 20 booths. Annette is also pushing for the different local destinations to have a sample of some of their handicrafts and native delicacies on hand, so that people can get a better idea of what to expect if they do plan a get-away to an unfamiliar destination.
Although there has been a decline in long-haul journeys like those to Europe and the US, travel agents which offer tours to these places like the Insight Tours of Rajah Travel are still participating in the Expo, offering exciting tour packages for different budget levels.
What can people expect from the TravelTour Expo this year?
"People who come to the Expo can expect to find travel packages which could be 50 percent cheaper than what they can get if they booked with a travel agent. This should be enough reason for people to come out and check out the Expo," shares Annette. This could be the best time to discover the country, and the world.