Travelers, Get Ready for PTAA's 9th International Travel Trade Expo 2024!

Travel Tour Expo 2024 is happening this year with the theme "The World Within Reach".

Ms. Patria Chiong the TTE Chairperson says "With the help of our sponsors DOT, Unionbank and media partners, the Travel and Tour Expo is happening this year. People are raring to travel, with places that work with their budget, ease of travel and the DOT's "Love Philippines " campaign, PTAA is here to make sure people can make memories in the country. We are confident to exceed the goals of the DOT, people are raring to go out and restrictions are lifted. We are giving travelers choices, it just boils down to budget and in the TTE we've got that. From 3 to 5 star hotels, tour packages, special trips, we can offer to different needs of passengers and customers. We are looking forward to the future, way beyond this event and there's really no way to go but up! I would say it would be up by 20-25 percent (a ballpark figure). The ASEAN, Israel, Taiwan is going to be popular as they are Visa Free."

There will be 4 halls occupied and it has been sold out to travel boards, agents, and businesses. One side will be delegated to business to business markets and exhibitors, and all these will be open to the public on February 2 and 3. 

Sellers will include international offers for Australia, Balkan, China, Dubai, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, the US and Vietnam. 

As of now they have over 68 sellers and 220 registered buyers in the event. Gates will open 10am on the first day, and 9:30 am on the second day. The TTE secretariat wants to emphasize that we all need to help the DOT succeed as this will be a public and private sector cooperation. The Bayanihan spirit still exists. So see you at SMX 2F Function rooms because this will be big! Unionbank card holders will also get perks especially on the opening day plus some eGC's up for grabs.

There will also be raffle draws, prizes, surprises, entertainment numbers, and an auction for trips so make sure you bring your budget on the day!

Amazon Holds Global Selling Expo-Seller Bootcamp

If you've heard of Amazon and have no idea how it works (especially if you're planning to sell there), we're in the same boat. Recently, they held the "2021 Amazon Expo -  Seller Bootcamp" aimed to introduce micro, small and medium enterprises to a more global e-commerce platform and how the Amazon framework can help build a business with a worldwide audience.

A recent survey comissioned by Amazon Global Selling marked the Philippines to have the highest number of homegrown sellers compared to other ASEAN countries. This accounts for a greater number of Filipino MSME's that have no access or opportunities to do cross border business, amidst the high demand of online shopping in online channels, apps, through digital models. Mr. Bernard Tay, the Head of Amazon Global Selling in Southest Asia says "The Philippines currently has a very young but fast developing e-commerce industry. MSME's in this region need to develop understanding and implementing cross border operations and international logistics. This Seller bootcamp would be a great opportunity especially for small businesses so they could identify gaps in procedures and arm themselves with the know-how, assets and network that would be able to bring their business to the world through Amazon."

They have gotten over 1.3K MSME's that have registered in the bootcamp which is a virtual event that spans 3 days so they get to listen to experts discussing subjects such as cross country payments, how to ship, taxation, flow of prospect customers and complexities of marketing. This was done after data was released from Cross Border E-commerce Awareness and Perception Reports that embodied over 1,600 MSME respondents coming from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines wherein they pinpointed a lack of information in cross country e-commerce. This sector was also forecasted to grow by 30% in 2026 which is why they want to equip them through innovative programs that would help them grow into a global business and adapt to the digital transformation every country is going through. Challenges include supply chain and logistics, costs, and competition versus other international sellers in the Amazon platform. Amazon is in the process of building a state of the art fulfillment and delivery system that does Fulfillment by Amazon (which they have done in other countries) so the company picks it up, packs it and ship, and also provide customer service for the products they sell. Logistics providers were also invited in the bootcamp to explain how it works, how it is managed and tell them how to take on these challenges. The Philippine MSME's puts this as their top concern, then their readiness.

Amazon has built resources for MSME's in the region and around the world so businesses could expand easier. Combined with the efforts of each industry stakeholders and governments of each country, they've continued to grow together with their seller partners. This will be a good accompaniment to their current Seller University nad hundreds of tools and services present in Amazon's channels around the world. Look it up, it may just be your time to shine!

Visit the Guam Booth at the 22nd PTAA Expo Today!

It felt like home, a bit more festive when we got the chance to experience Guam last night at the Ascott Hotel during the Online Media Night. I havent't been there but I'm so much considering it as a destination of choice in the next few months. Guam is a US territory, you would need a Visa for it but I heard they've got relaxed terms for it now. It's an island paradise so you get the chance to enjoy the best of the tropics, but it's got rich culture, natural wonders, luxurious resorts, shopping, sports and spas. They've also got people at the PTAA Travel and Tour Expo in SMX Convention Center to showcase untapped wonders that Pinoys might not have seen yet! Guam is a destination and if you would like to see this island up close, please visit them now at the 22nd PTAA convention and find the best deals on how to go there!

They'll be in the PTAA fair this weekend so if you would like to check out things to do and special rates from travel agencies, they are only going to be exclusively offering them in this event. If I were you, I'd go through the lines just to see them perform. You've seen it on the video, you've got to see it live!

Visit https://www.guamvisitorsbureau.com for more details! Hafa Adai!

For more information about their services:

Guam Visitors Bureau

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http://www.visitguam.org/