Cebu Travel tourism sector holds Cebu Travel Catalogue Int’l fair, Feb. 10-12

CEBU CITY – Travel and tour operators, airlines, hotels and other tourism stakeholders in Cebu will mount a three-day one-stop-shop fair for local and international travel deals from February 10-12 at the Ayala Center Cebu dubbed as Cebu Travel Catalogue International (CTCI) 2023 wit the tagline, “Escape. Explore. Enjoy the World!”

“Since last year, our joint efforts have been successful in pushing for revenge travel after the pandemic held it to a standstill. Now more and more travel restrictions have eased in popular local and international destinations. This is an exciting prospect for us all on the road to recovery, and the Cebu Travel Catalogue International 2023 is yet another milestone for the travel and tour industry,” CTCI-2023 chair, Angelita Dy said during the media launch on January 23 at Golden Prince Hotel & Suites.

Dy added that the Travel Catalogue features cultural performances alongside a guided exhibit tour, exciting onstage activities with special guests; a daily raffle draw, the much-awaited travel show mini-concert and the timeless travel auction.

Top airlines, hotels and resorts, and travel and tour companies are showcasing remarkable packages and special offers.  Dy said that the Cebu Tours and Travel Association (CTTA) renews its efforts to continue to explore the road to recovery and turn people’s passion to travel into reality again.

CTTA president Joan Tiu added that the Cebu Travel Catalogue International will make it easier for travelers skip the long hunt and enjoy the tour packages and discounts, cheap flights to charming destinations, holiday promos and luxury stays, land and water-based attractions, and exciting leads to the adventure of an individual’s choice.

Now in its seventh year, CTCI 2023 highlights the resiliency of the travel and tourism industry even as it fuels the spark of post-pandemic revenge travel - a testament that reliable travel partners stay every step of the way in the travel show and beyond, Dy bared.

The three-day travel catalogue fair is supported by top airlines in the country, Department of Tourism (DOT-7), Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC), Ayala Center Cebu and CATOS. 

Riza Macaibay, Senior Tourism Operations Officer at DOT-7 revealed that DOT advocates for domestic tourism as it saw in 2022 the big increase in the travel and tourism industry with international flights opening up in various direct flights to domestic and international destinations.

“More domestic direct flights to Baguio and in Mindanao have opened up and China also with more flights.  We are hoping and working to increase connectivity in the international and more domestic routes,” Macaibay said.

She added that DOT is excited that the tourism sector has revived and recovered as one of the country’s economic drivers.  “We are bullish in travel fairs and travel exchanges which encourage more connectivity in local and international travels.”

Macaibay revealed that based on DOT’s records, tourist arrivals in Central Visayas as of September 2022 was at 2.2 million, the bulk of which is 70 percent or 1.1M were domestic tourists and about 300,000 were foreign tourists.

“For Cebu alone, 1.8M tourist arrivals last year with 1.5M domestic and more than 317,000 foreign visitors. We were expecting some three million tourists by the end of the last quarter of 2022,” she added.

Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC) chair, City Councilor Joy Pesquera on the other hand said that CCTC supports fully the programs of CTTA and the CTCI 2023 because these promote Cebu and its local tourism attractions.

Pesquera said Cebu City has been promoting several tourist attractions such as the Heritage tour of historical sites; the Highland Blooms and Eco-Tourism as Farm to Table Food Trail; Pilgrimage Tours in Barangays and Coastal tourism promoting the sunset cruise, beach sports and diving.

“We are also promoting Cebu City as the MICE destination of choice with the presence of world-class hotels and resorts here,” she said.

According to Alice Quiblatin, president of Cebu Association of Travel Operators (CATOS) this year’s travel fair may bring people to recharge fully, to escape to favorite spaces such as shopping, dining with the best view, chasing waterfalls, trekking, basking on the beach and other travel and tour possibilities to suit an individual’s fancy getaway.

“We want to promote Cebu as a mono destination, that it has everything a traveler needs and wants.  What Cebu can offer must be interesting and connectivity is easier, efficient and there are sustainable flights coming in and from Cebu,” Quiblatin said.

Connectivity, cuts down on travel expenses and time, Quiblatin noted that efficient travel system from all local travel and tour destinations and open flights must be established for stakeholders to want to travel to Cebu and the other provinces in Central Visayas.