A one-stop-shop mobile app dedicated to Philippine tourism products and services for Chinese mainland visitors was recently launched in China, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Monday, Nov. 8.
The unveiling of the app, dubbed "Trilippines", was welcomed by Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing, on behalf of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.
The launch took place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chengdu, China on last Nov. 3 with dozens of local travel and tourism offices in attendance.
Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) Attaché, Dr. Edwin Balane, underscored the value of the initiative to the eventual reopening of the country’s borders to leisure travel amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Trilippines is the only app that makes Philippine tourism products directly available to the Chinese travel market.
“Despite ongoing travel restrictions, the market can already select destinations to put in their bucket list, packages they want to enjoy, and journeys within their budget so that, when they are ready to pack their bags, they would certainly know which to enjoy the most,” Balane said.
Owned by ADJ Happy Travel Inc. and developed for over a year by Beijing Xiuyuan Travel, the Trilippines online platform is a one-stop shop providing destination guides and offering a comprehensive menu of flights, accommodations, day tours, and domestic transportation.
ADJ Happy Travel CEO Leon Liu introduced key features of the app, which consolidates and customizes products and services for the Chinese user, including translation help during their stay in the Philippines.
Philippine Consul General to Chongqing Flerida Ann Camille Mayo lauded the DOT-ADJ Happy Travel partnership for keeping up with trends in smart tourism. She thanked Trilippines’ creators for their foresight and appreciated their confidence in Philippine tourism despite present border restrictions.
“When pent-up Chinese travel demand meets pent-up Philippine hospitality, we will all be there - Philippine foreign service posts and DOT offices in China, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Trilippines - to help open the floodgates for our long-awaited visitors from the mainland,” Mayo remarked.
The Consul General touted the Safe Travels Stamp given to the Philippines in September 2021 by the World Travel and Tourism Council even as DOT’s Have a Safe Trip Pinas campaign continues in earnest.
“As we launch Trilippines today, I have every confidence that the combined efforts to promote smart tourism and a safe, enjoyable stay in the Philippines could very well yield the best travel deal in no time at all,” she said.
Balane also spotlighted the Philippines’ More Fun Awaits campaign through a video presentation.
Also present during the event were Philippine Airlines Area Manager (Eastern China) Geri Zhuang and Cebu Pacific Account Executive Sami Ni.
Prior to the pandemic, China was the Philippines’ second largest market with a total output of 1.75 million visitor arrivals, and one of the biggest contributors of foreign exchange through tourism expenditure valued at USD 2.33 billion in 2019.
As it approaches its target of fully vaccinating 100 percent of tourism workers this year, the Philippines is committed to providing a safe and pleasant stay while visitors experience the country’s popular destinations, in addition to new tourism products and packages.