SIDE TRIP. Members and volunteers of YTRIP donate books as part of their outreach progam.

They are the modern-day nomadic tribe. They travel to experience. And it is the stories that they bring home and share that set them apart.

“Travel is one of the best ways to experience the greatness of a place. It is one of the most enjoyable ways to express the best of who we are as a people. It almost always leaves a positive
mark. And as we find our stories, we discover ourselves,” says Clare Amador, the 26-year-old founder of Youth Trip Philippines (YTRIP).

YTRIP also began as a story – of traveling around the Philippines and how the experience can change Filipinos.

“YTRIP is a response to passion. I couldn’t last in a job because I don’t really like what I do, and I realized that there are other people who feel the same way,” Clare relates.

Founded in November 2006, this group of young professionals composed of Clare, Enda Baria, Bert Bainto, Daxie Cutab, Toks Dingle, Francesca Martinez, Maryan Nambong, Ron Nieto and Diane Reyes banded together to promote responsible travel and love for country among the youth.

“YTRIP promotes sustainable tourism and responsible travel. But the whole idea is, as you promote it, you develop a love for country, a love for our culture and heritage. You put value in heritage. You support Philippine products, you become responsible citizens and take care what you have. And in that idea that I’m part of this community, I am part of this nation, you act better, you act more responsible.

It’s really you becoming what’s your quality as a traveler. How are you as a traveler translates to how are you as a Filipino,” shares Clare.

Responsibility and mindset shift

The group observes that a lot of young people nowadays travel just for travel’s sake, not knowing that there’s a responsibility attached to it.

“We see tourism as a tool for positive change, beyond economics and more on social impact and responsibility,” she says.

For YTRIP, tourism is not just about movement, but a shift from one mindset to another.
“At the end of the day, it’s a sense of ownership. One of the reasons why we don’t take care of the places we go to is because we don’t have a sense of ownership. When you’re traveling, you’ll realize that you are part of a collective.

Get that sense of ownership and you begin to put more value. Like nung nasa Ifugao kami nanunood ng sayaw, there’s a five-year old boy na biglang sumali sa sayaw. Alam niya yung sayaw. Na-realize ko na kultura ko rin ‘yan, akin din ‘yan. You feel more compelled to protect and appreciate. It is only when you know the value, you claim ownership,” she relates.

‘Piliin ang Pilipinas’

YTRIP also aims to become an alternative education initiative of volunteer professionals that presents Philippine culture and history, volunteerism, and sustainable development in the language of today’s Filipino.
So far, the group has run several projects including field trips to Museo Pambata, photography classes for college students, a do-it-yourself travel itinerary contest for students, beach clean-ups and monthly backpacking sessions where volunteers and members of YTRIP tackle tourism issues and share stories of their recent travels.

A campaign called “PiliPinas: Piliin ang Pilipinas” (Choose the Philippines) entices Filipinos to explore their own country first and support local products.

“Dapat natural choice mo ang Pilipinas. You can start with your hometown. I’m sure not a lot of young people have already explored their father or mother’s provinces. It’s affordable and at the same time you help the local economy. And even sa lahat ng actions mo, ano ang pinipili mo? Sinusuportahan mo ba ang Pilipinas? Kung pinipili mo ang Pilipinas you do what is right, kasi hindi lang para sa sarili mo, para sa nakararami,” explains Clare.

Travel need not to be expensive

There still remains that notion that traveling is a luxury. YTRIP believes that if frameworks and networks on budget travel, sustainable tourism, and culture are made accessible and experiential for more people, then more Filipinos will experience the Philippines.

“We want to give information to everybody that it is possible to travel without spending so much. Kasi that was the issue of tourism before. This is why we’re building our travel program with tour groups who have the same vision as ours, to promote great value heritage tours. YTRIP also hopes to create more opportunities for public school students to travel, as we develop our Field Trips for Public School Students program,” adds Clare.

Sustaining the organization has also been a challenge. YTRIP is embarking on becoming a social enterprise to become more sustainable.

“We want to create a network of travelers who bear the same ideas of responsible tourism. It is no longer one person’s dream but a promise to work with and a reality to create, shared by more people,” says Clare.

Traveling generation

According to recent studies, the student and youth travel market is a huge 20 percent segment of all the travelers in the world. It is considered among the fastest-growing segments, which includes not only college students age 25 and under, but increasing numbers of high school and even elementary children on group day or overnight school trips.

Student and Youth Travel Research Institute states that a majority of 12 to 18 year old travelers in the United States spend almost $10 billion a year. Young travelers aged 25-38 are even a stronger market force as they enjoy a higher disposable income.

Likewise, the Department of Tourism’s latest campaign is not aimed at luring the rich and famous to the country’s rich tropical hideaways but to the 18-34 year old demographic.

Tourism Secretary Joseph ‘Ace’ Durano reveals that 70 percent of the tourists in the country are youth travelers.

The DoT teamed up with MTV Networks to reach student travelers, new professionals and young adventurers around the world.