Page 47 - 2017 JAN-JUN - KAAKBAY

January to June
2017 47

It’s More Fun Beneath the Philippine Seas: Philippines
Makes a Splash at International Dive Show

The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) with partners in the
travel industry presented the best Philippine Dive experiences and
packages at the Beneath the Sea Expo, from 24 to 26 March 2017 at the
Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Beneath the Sea is the largest Consumer and Dive Travel Show in
the US and attracts diving enthusiasts from both the US West and East
coasts.

The DOT-New York office headed by Ms. Azucena Pallugna
brought together various travel agencies and tour operators to help market
Philippine Dive destinations for the US market. Among the Dive
experiences promoted at the Dive Expo include the Philippines Kids Sea L-R Yasuko Jones of Island and Cruise Adventure, DOT
Camp Experience offered by Family Divers and various Dive Packages Representative Azucena Pallugna, Lynn Funkhouser, Consul
offered by Island and Cruise Adventure. The Philippine promotion efforts General Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Beneath the Sea Show Director
also received a boost from the participation of Philippine Airlines New York Corey Joyner, Deputy Consul General Felipe Cariño.
at the Expo.

Renowned international divers and underwater photographers and videographers Michael Salvarezza, Christopher
Weaver, Michel Albert, Danielle Alary, Richard Morris, Leandro Blanco, and Women Divers Hall of Famer Lynn Funkhouser
likewise spoke about their respective diving experiences in the Philippines during talks held at the Expo. Ms. Funkhouser
offered a free dive trip to the Philippines courtesy of the Atlantis Group during her talk on “The Philippines: The Most DIVErse
Underwater and Above” last 26 March.

Philippine Tourism Promoted to New Jersey and Pennsylvania Travel Industry

The Department of Tourism – New York and Goway Travel
teamed up for a product presentation to over 30 travel and tour
agencies in Southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania in Cherry Hill, New
Jersey on 29 March 2017.

The DOT-NY Team headed by Ms. Azucena Pallugna assisted
by Mr. Joey Changco presented various Philippine destinations in a
presentation entitled “Going Beyond Your Bucket List” . Some of the
highlights of the presentation included destinations like Manila, Cebu,
Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, and Banaue.

Goway Travel which provides tour packages to the Philippines
spoke of what makes trips to the Philippines unique, exciting,
comfortable, and enjoyable for the international tourist, namely,
particularly the ease of communication, availability of a wide range of
L-R Josh Vasquez of PAL, DOT Representative in New York Azucena tourism packages, value for money, and the diversity of tourism
Pallugna, Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Kathie Scott of products.
Goway Travel, Joey Changco of the DOT-NY Office, Charisse Arboleda
of Philippine Airlines. Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega thanked all the travel
industry members for participating and spoke about the exciting
developments in Philippine Tourism from the record tourist arrivals volume in January 2017 which was the single highest
recorded for any month, the Philippine Government’s full-blown infrastructure program which will make the Philippines a viable
and sustainable tourism destination, the strong partnership between the private and public sectors in promoting tourism, and
the overall touristic experience only found in the Philippines.

The Philippine Airlines Team represented by Mr. Josh Vasquez and Ms. Charisse Arboleda were also on hand to
provide information about flight offerings from the US Northeast to Manila as well as provincial destinations.

To generate further interest among the participants, Goway conducted a Philippine Jeopardy trivia contest.
Additionally San Miguel Beer packs were raffled off to lucky participants.

The overall feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive with many tour and travel agents expressing a keen
interest in promoting packages to the Philippines.