Cebu, are you ready? Less than a week from now, the 9th Edition of the International Travel Festival (ITF 2024) will open at Waterfront Hotels and Casino Cebu.
The International Travel Festival (ITF 2024) is gearing up to be one of the largest and most exciting tourism-focused events in Cebu, with over 150 exhibitors already confirmed as of this writing. As anticipation builds, travelers and enthusiasts alike are looking forward to the various opportunities, experiences, and insights that the festival promises to offer. Aside from business owners and companies, there are also over 12 colleges and universities around Cebu that are participating in the event to help students uncover insider tips and deals in the industry.
What Is The ITF 2024?
The International Travel Festival (ITF 2024) is an annual premier travel bazaar for travel enthusiasts. The event is where thousands of limited-time offers and deals within the Visayas region are offered by corporations and companies in the travel industry.
According to one of ITF 2024’s founders, Matt Poonin, the concept of the ITF 2024 was aimed to boost sales during low peak seasons such as during the month of July which is a low travel season in the Philippines, but high-peak abroad.
The Founders and Their Mission
In a bustling hive of Cebu’s travel enthusiasts, a game-changing idea took place among a circle of friends. Meet the brilliant minds behind the prestigious International Travel Festival: Juliet Amazona, Sheramie Leung (deceased), Thannya Pino, Matt Poonin, Tim Tio, and Stephanie Villahermosa. Together, they’re on a mission to redefine travel in Cebu, one innovative concept at a time.
These visionaries gathered with a shared passion for exploration and innovation. With their collective minds and unwavering determination, they started their mission to have a collaboration of brands and companies who are willing to offer budget-friendly rates for the public. “We want to put them in one area as they offer deals for the public market within the region, specifically the Cebuanos.”, said Matt Poonin during our interview. “This year was supposed to be our 11th edition; however, because of the pandemic, we had to pause the event for safety purposes. So, for the year 2024, we are celebrating the ITF 2024’s 9th year. Hopefully, it will continue to increase tourism in both outbound and inbound travel.”, she added.
“Love To Travel”, The 9th Anniversary Theme and What to Expect
For the 9th edition of the International Travel Festival, guests are to expect bigger and better things to see, such as the following:
Venue
The event will be held at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino – Cebu City wherein a bigger space is allotted for the guests and exhibitors. When asked why they chose the Waterfront, Ms. Poonin gleamed and said that it was time for a more luxurious feel, “The Waterfront has been the go-to venue for large events and international concerts in the city, so why not the ITF 2024?”
New and More Partners
Guests and participants can expect more options and offers during the event especially since there are new hotel chains and airlines partnering up with the ITF 2024.
ITF Food City
The organizing committee really stepped up in terms of offering convenience to the guests as they also have “The Food City” which is where tasty meals, proud Cebuano delicacies, and international cuisines can be ordered. So, you don’t have to worry about getting hungry as ITF 2024 got your guts covered!
More Engagement Activities
Not only are there up to 70% off on travel offers, there are also activities for the whole family! On the last day of the event, beloved animated characters will be strolling around the event space for a meet and greet and also some performances. Kids and kids at heart can enjoy nostalgic moments and can join games to win prizes worth a thousand smiles!
The theme for the 9th edition of ITF 2024 is “Love to Travel” which is inline with the current Department of Tourism slogan “Love Philippines”. By being one with DOT, ITF 2024 shows their support for the department’s efforts on improving the tourism industry as well as promoting new travel destinations for both the locals and tourists.
Tips
Here are some useful tips to take note of according to ITF 2024’s founder, Ms. Poonin:
- There are peak times – Just like any other whole day events, the ITF 2024 has peak hours such as during early morning and late evening or at 8PM. Just remember that the venue is open from 9AM to 10PM, so take advantage of the mid-morning calmness.
- Prepare your wallets – This is a no-brainer and should be kept in mind all the time that when you attend the ITF 2024, you should prepare your wallets because deals are everywhere! Who knows, your next trip to Palawan will only cost you a peso for the airfare, right?
- Watch out for raffle promos – ITF 2024 is one of the times when travel and tourism sectors offer deals that you could not get enough of! So, it’s best to follow the International Travel Festival page and other Facebook pages of companies participating in the event since it’s where they will announce raffle promos and tickets.
Whether you’re a luxury traveler or one who targets budget-friendly options, the International Travel Festival has everything you need! So, stay tuned and we’ll see you there, Sugboanons!
