EVENTS: PTAA Travel Tour Expo 2026

The PTAA Travel Tour Expo gave us a weekend full of travel opportunities and special prizes. Here's a quick walk-through of what went down from February 6 to 8 at the SMX Convention Center Manila. 

As usual, the sponsors of the event were big industry names, among which were Philippine Airlines, PLDT, Union Bank, Department of Tourism, and Tourism Promotions Board Philippines.

The event was split into two levels of the SMX Convention Center. On the ground floor was for airlines, major travel agencies, and hotels and resorts from all around the country. It was nice to see more concessionaires this year than last year, thus giving the attendees more options to quench their wanderlust. 

Among the booths of hotels and resorts were the ones from Metro Manila, such as I’m Hotel, Raffles and Fairmont Makati Hotel, and The Manila Hotel. There were also those outside the metro, which would call for a fun roadtrip, like Acuatico Beach Resort and Hotel, Tagaytay Country Hotel, and Acuaverde Hotels and Resorts. 

When it came to the airlines, there were plenty to choose from, like China Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Jetstar Asia Airways, Oman Air, Sunlight Air, Qantas Airways, Starlux Airlines, and more. Clearly, there is more than one airline to take you wherever you want to go. 

There were also a wide selection of travel agencies. That's the nice thing about these kinds of travel expos: you always have a choice! 

Let's say you have a specific country or destination in mind, whether domestic or abroad, you can take your time to walk around and compare all the different itineraries and prices available. You'll surely find something that will suit your travel needs, as well as your budget. Some were doing special prices for that weekend only, so you could really find some steals when it came to ticket prices and packaged tours.

There were also regional booths promoting different parts of the Philippines; many hidden destinations around the country that can definitely rival some of the tourist hot spots abroad. 

If you like adventure and avoiding big crowds when travelling, make sure to take a good look at the regional booths. They can point you to undiscovered parts of the Philippines that could inspire you to create more interesting travel stories and memories. 

On the second floor of the venue, there were more travel agencies, travel insurance companies, regional booths, a stage, and food stalls. The stage held presentations from the different concessionaires of the event. If you went for all three days, you would see something different every time. 

Other booths also had presentations and activities in their area. There were interactive dances, songs, and artsy activities that promoted their destination and culture. Joining these presentations was actually a great way to network, meet fellow travellers, and gain extra knowledge of their countries. 

The PTAA Travel Tour Expo happens every year. So if you missed out on this one, don’t fret, there’s always next year! Check out their social media pages and website to stay in the loop when the next event comes around. Don’t pass up on the chance to score that perfect holiday or staycation you’ve been aiming for.