Travel | Wonderful Indonesia’s Sales Mission: First in Davao City!

People Behind the Sales Mission in Davao City

Recently, the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia brought eight (8) tour agents and tour operators from North Sulawesi (Sulut) and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to promote different tourist destinations from those regions. It is the first time that the sales mission went to Davao City after a round of sales mission in Manila. With this activity, every one is excited and hope to revive the direct flight from Davao City, Philippines to Manado, Indonesia.

Indonesia Cultural Dance

This year the Ministry of Tourism targets to have 17 million visitors all over the world.The Phillippines, as a neighbor, friend and brother country, the ministry targets 180,000 visitors. With much love, as of October this year, Filipino visitors have reached 179,600 or that is 99.8% of the target. That is such a very promising number and hopefully it will increase more.

As of the moment, there are three airlines flying from the Philippines to Indonesia, to wit: 1) the Philippine Airlines, 2) Cebu Pacific and 3) AirAsia. The destinations covered by these airlines are Manila-Jakarta and Manila-Denpasar routes. Most interests of Filipino visitors in Indonesia include vacation, shopping and culinary tours. Most visited places of Filipinos are Jakarta, Bali and Batam.

ConGen Napitupulu Giving a Speech

With the leadership of ConGen. Berlian Napitupulu of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Davao City, the sales mission has been made possible in Davao City. There are a lot input that ConGen Napitupulu has given to the guests, especially on exploring potentials to make the air linkage sustainable in the future. He also added that the sales mission is made to create market, create trade and create reason to travel. As such, there could  be events that will exchange professionals, exchange of sport events, exchange of youth and exchange of students. In which, one example that ConGen has highlighted was the presence of a good medical school in Davao City wherein 1200 students from India have enrolled. He added that why not for Indonesians? Davao City is nearer to Manado compare to bringing the students to farther places and more expensive. Aside from that, ConGen has shared that in two (2) years they have participated nineteen (19) expos and six (6) of which are solo expos organized by the consulate. These promotional activities are done to make long term deals.

Deputy Director Pelitasari Giving Updates

Together with ConGen Napitupulu is the Deputy Director of Promotion for the Philippines and Sulawesi, Mrs. Afrida Pelitasari. She has shared that they have a challenging target for next year that is to have 260,000 Filipino visitors. However, she is hopeful with their five (5) marketing strategy approach to strengthen engagement, to wit: 1) travel mart, 2) fam trip (family or friends trip), 3) sales mission (which is the recent event), 4) Indonesia festival and 5) integrated marketing program with the cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and airlines, as well as, opening of new air routes.

Table Top Sessions for Tour Familiarization

Consul Endah with Raffle Winners

Indeed, the sales mission is a very exciting event which hopes to bring a fruitful future between the Philippines and Indonesia, especially in Davao City. There are cultural shows made by Indonesian dancers, play of tourism promotional ad campaign videos, also a healthy discussion of tour agents and tour operators from Indonesia with Davao tour operators in exploring possible cooperation and one of the most awaited part is the raffle of Indonesian made items and tour packages.

Winners of Tour Packages All-Expense Paid

Terima Kasih, Indonesia! I hope and pray that the Davao-Manado route will be revived and made sustainable in the future. For further information, visit: www.indonesia.travel.

Thank you for visiting my avenue, www.ten7avenue.com.

Event | Indonesia at a Glance with the ConGen at the Indonesian Consulate

It is a pleasant day in Davao City. The Consul General of the Indonesian Consulate, ConGen Berlian Napitupulu, has invited friends from the local media and social media to taste some food, witness and hear great things about Indonesia. The event, for me, is a realization and an envy.

ConGen Napitupulu with Ian Garcia at the Media Briefing

Indonesia and the Philippines are both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Other countries included in the ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Timor Leste is also part of the Southeast Asia region but not yet part of the ASEAN, hopefully very soon. Aside from this group, which has celebrated a golden year last year, Indonesia and the Philippines are part of an economic cooperation known as Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA. Basically, the nearest ASEAN neighbors the Philippines has are from the BIMP. To exchange trades with them is really a very good way of getting along with our neighbors, especially with Indonesia, which is the largest economy in the region and among the top ten (10) largest economies in the world.

Bottom to Top: 

First things first, the invitation is at lunch time, and the best way to experience Indonesian hospitality is served with some Indonesian dishes. They have served the 1) padang sauce shrimp, 2) famous beef rendang, 3) tumis mix vegetables, 4) chicken satai, 5) shrimp chips and 6) fruits. It is indeed a very wonderful start. It has some similarities with Filipino food and all yet delicious!

Aside from the lunch being served, there are some tasty, great and exotic snack items served to taste. Yes, there are variety of snack items like the pang-pang, ping-ping, teng-teng, ting-ting, tong-tong, salak, durian pancake, my fave teh tarik drink and passion fruit juice! It isn’t hard to memorize the names at all! :-p

Variety of snack items

Salak and other snack items (sorry, I forgot the names)

Teh Tarik

Actually, I am marveled with the industries present in Indonesia. There’s a lot! Yes, a lot! There are many products from Indonesia that is in the Philippines right now that ranges from wellness and grooming products, food and beverage items, automobile, construction materials and many more. They have a number of industries that make their economy afloat and really one of the largest in the world. That’s one of the things I envy about Indonesia, I wish we have much industries like theirs. It is also a very inspiring thing that Indonesia is reaching out to neighboring countries like ours wherein they are pretty willing to impart their culture and expand their presence to connect more people from the Philippines to Indonesia and vice versa. ConGen Napitupulu has been proactive in doing so and with that, the Indonesian Consulate will be conducting a Food and Beverage Expo this coming June 2018 here in the city at a mall. Aside from that, their Trade Expo Indonesia on October 2018 invites business people to invest in Indonesia.

There’s more of Indonesia! Like the Philippines, Indonesia is an archipelago but they are the world’s largest group of islands. They have rich natural beauty and culture that is preserved and ready to face the world - like Medan! This is again a thing to emulate - preservation of rich culture to attract visitors.

Garuda at the Indonesian Consulate

Indonesia may not be a huge English-speaking country, but they have managed their huge industries to be around the region and the globe. They may not be among the countries with top numbers of business process outsourcing companies, but they are among the top economies in the world. Yes, that’s Indonesia! We can learn from them and learn from each other. :-)

Thank you for visiting my avenue, www.ten7avenue.com.

Travel | Completed ASEAN in 3 Years

It was 2008 when I processed my passport just for the purpose of an additional identification card or document. By that year, too, when budget carrier airlines gave an opportunity to many budget travelers to travel cheaper internationally. Good thing I have my passport and I am able to avail my mother's sponsorship for the trip. Lol

I enjoy every travel I do. Experience the culture, food and mingle with people. As an ASEAN, my dream is to travel around the region's member states. There is an inviting factor such as no visa needed to travel among the member states. I want to travel on 9 countries namely: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam since I am already from the Philippines. That dream, I think, will need me at least 9 years or that is one country every year. But travel strategies in hitting two birds with is feasible, ASEAN countries are interconnected by land (bus or train), water and air (with more budget airlines). I am able to visit all the member states in 3 years. ;-)

It was in the year 2014 when I started chasing that dream. A trip to Singapore and Malaysia, touring a family made my first steps for the quest, then, a birth anniversary trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. Then, in 2015, I said hello to Indonesia. On the same year, I went to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and from there to Brunei Darussalam as a birth anniversary trip. Last in the list, a tri-country birth anniversary trip to Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Oh yes, I completed it!!! My remembrance in each visit is a ref magnet. ;-)

I may not be that kind of a traveler who really immerse myself to a country for weeks. I usually visit other countries for 2 to 3 days only, prioritizing to visit major landmark and taste of their food. :-)

I am a budget traveler; every travel is short and tickets are purchased months before the flight availing seat sale. I can also say, as per my experience, that travel to other countries is even cheaper than traveling domestically in the Philippines. I will definitely share those stories here in my avenue. ;-)

For now, I am satisfied with my travel ambitions. My itchy feet are well spoiled. Lol

My next target is to at least complete the countries in East Asia. But, most of the countries there will need visa. We will see what will happen. ;-)

Thank you for visiting my avenue, I hope you enjoyed.