Philippines to host world’s first green travel mart in Cavite

The Philippines will host the International Ecotourism Travel Mart (IETM), the world’s first green travel mart, from March 29 to April 2 in Silang, Cavite.

The event is organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN), and the International School for Sustainable Tourism (ISST).

At the press briefing held recently at Milky Way Cafe in Makati, ISST chairperson and president, and IETM project proponent Dr. Mina T. Gabor shared that around 500 delegates are expected to participate.

“The green travel mart will be held outdoors, and the first to be done in a municipality,” noted Gabor.

The event has three major components: Travel Mart, the Marketplace, and the two-day ecotourism forum which is the heart of IETM.

“We are overwhelmed with the support we’re getting from various agencies concerned and we’re looking forward to showcasing this to the world,” she added.

Showing ecotourism to the world

Present via Zoom, AEN president and IETM co-chair Masaru Takayama said the organization is now looking beyond sustainable development goals, and embracing authentic eco-tourism, which is the main theme of IETM. The event coincides with the 20th year since the United Nations declared the international year of ecotourism.

“Ecotourism has been the star of sustainable tourism and we think that having IETM in 2023 is timely, especially since we never have any travel mart, particularly in ecotourism to date,” he said.

Moreover, Takayama said IETM is a great opportunity not only to showcase ecotourism around the Asia Pacific, but to allow the AEN representatives of each country to finally see each other in person after almost three years.

“This will be a very good opportunity not only to talk about ecotourism but to also engage physically in a face-to-face meeting,” he said. “Experts, ecotourism practitioners, advocates, participants, and exhibitors will have the opportunity to learn and network across cultures.”

An opportunity to learn

Ary Suhandi, vice chair of AEN and head of the Indonesian Ecotourism Network (IEN), highlighted the importance of sharing and learning different knowledge about ecotourism in the Asia Pacific.

“IETM is an extraordinary initiative needed, especially for the revival of ecotourism after the pandemic,” he said. “This is very important in sharing knowledge, as well as experiences. From the Indonesian side of the ecotourism network, we very much show our support for the IETM.”

Takayama added that the IETM will present the status of ecotourism in the past, present, and future, as well as how the project can promote authentic ecotourism around the world.

Cultural empowerment

ACB executive director Dr. Mundita S. Lim, in a statement, explained how the IETM “elevates tourism.”

“IETM leads in promoting the balance between economic development and harnessing nature as a means to overcome current challenges,” Lim explained.

Lim added that there’s also a growing awareness that nature is part of the solution when it comes to problems on public health and climate change.

“With the IETM 2023, we hope to help jumpstart sustainable economic recovery in the region with the promotion of a greener and biodiversity-conscious tourism industry,” she said.

And with 51 heritage sites in ASEAN member economies, which are all important in preserving ecosystems around the region, Lim said 80% of them are engaged in ecotourism.

Some local communities in these sites have experienced a sharp drop in tourist arrivals since the outbreak. Lim cited the communities that surround the elephant- and orangutan-inhabited Gunung Leusur National Park in North Sumatra and the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung province.

“But these days, as the region is slowly recovering from the impact of the global health crisis, mass tourism is slowly becoming more of an eco-friendly tourism venture. We see opportunities for greater participation of local communities, empowerment of local cultures, and enhancing windows for sustainability and continuity,” she explained.

The IETM will be an annual gathering of delegates and exhibitors for the purpose of showcasing goods and services with a strong ecotourism component, green technology, and long-term green practices.

Embracing authentic ecotourism

Under the theme “Embracing Authentic Ecotourism,” the three-day event will showcase the travel mart, which will highlight ecotourism destinations and packages, the two-day forum on sustainable ecotourism, which will teach attendees about ecotourism and its many facets, and the marketplace, where eco-friendly and sustainable goods will be displayed and sold.

The AEN, which is the Asian initiative of the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) based in Costa Rica, provides relevant opportunities for members, including the Philippines, to work together on a regional scale. It actively seeks out channels for growth opportunities with both small and large organizations within Asia, and shares among members significant information and educational materials.

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