15 March 2005 – The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Philippines won the Best Booth Award at the Guangzhou International Tourism Fair (GITF) and the First China International Online Travel Fair (CIOTF) held simultaneously from 04 to 06 March 2005.

Consul General Erlinda Q. Gavino, who accompanied Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano to the GITF, said “the GITF has become an important platform for the tourism industry in travel exchange, presentations and marketing and is also a channel for foreigners to get a deeper understanding of tourism markets in Guangzhou, South China and the country as a whole.”

The Filipino tour operators and agents also took the opportunity of their participation in the GITF and  CIOTF to engage in direct investment invitation and the routine promotion of tourism sites to thousands of visitors, travel agents and Chinese nationals.   The Philippines beat all other foreign exhibitors to win the Best Booth Award.   Consul General Gavino said thousands of visitors, travel agents and local Chinese flocked to the Philippine booth.

Prior to the Fair, the Department of Tourism Regional Office in Beijing, in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General in Guanzhou, conducted a Philippine Tourism Conference and Travel Mart at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou.   Secretary Durano, who was also accompanied by Ambassador Willy Gaa, headed the Philippine delegation of tour operators, hoteliers, airport and resort representatives to discuss possible cooperation with travel industry authorities as well as meet with the Chinese media.

Secretary Durano underscored that “China is an important market for the Philippines such that a China Task Force was organized to look into the particular needs and requirements of the Chinese market so that the Philippine tourism industry can better respond to these needs and strengthen its competitiveness.”

Consul General Gavino informed conference participants that the number of Chinese tourists from Southeastern China has grown dramatically as evidenced by the more than 50 percent increase in the visa issuances of the Consulate in 2004.   The Consul General foresees a large Chinese tourist arrival in the Philippines due to the market’s increased interest in the Philippine as a result of the conference.   She is also optimistic that the introduction of Cebu Pacific’s daily Shenzen-Manila-Shenzen direct flight starting March 2005 and  its twice a week Manila-Guanzhou-Chengdu-Guangzhou-Manila beginning April 2005, aside from the Air Philippines’ current twice-weekly Shenzen-Manila and Guangzhou-Manila flights, would generate the interest of local Chinese tourists as the availability of the airline flights would mean lower travel rates and shorter travel time.

The Conference afforded a better understanding of the Philippine cultural and natural heritage and an opportunity for buyers and sellers of Philippine tourism products to interact with their Chinese counterparts.

Consul General Gavino said Secretary Durano met with the Guangdong Railway Travel Service, China Youth Travel Service Guangdong and the Guangdong China Travel Service Co., to discuss corporate travel.  Secretary Durano also met with Guangzhou Municipal Tourism Bureau Director Li Wen Yao and discussed projects for possible collaboration in increasing and strengthening tourism between the Philippines and China. END
 

/jay