Fam trip to the Philippines goes ahead
Agents have questioned a decision by the Philippines tourist board to go ahead with a fam trip to the typhoon devastated country next week.
Some believe the trip should have been cancelled and the money used to help the relief effort.
But others say it’s vital that the trip goes ahead to help the destination’s recovery in the long term.
Debating the issue on the Facebook Travel Gossip page, some agents said the fam trip money would be better spent on rice and water.
One Travel Counsellor said she would not feel comfortable tucking into her three great fam trip meals a day knowing that just a short hop away people are starving.
Another said the plane should be carrying volunteers, not tour operators.
"If somebody came in to the office, would you openly encourage them to travel to the Philippines at this current time? I think 90% of agents wouldn’t," said one agent.
But others argued that the fam trip should definitely go ahead because the Philippines needs tourism now more than ever.
"The plane is still going to fly the money has already been spent," said one.
"The tourist destinations are still open for business and they need us to encourage people to travel there. Surely it is a good thing that agents learn about the country and help in any way we can."
Richard de Villa, sales and promotions officer at the Philippines tourist office, said 16 tour operators are due to go on the trip next week.
"Some of them, of course, had reservations about going but they understand the benefits," he said.
"The Philippines need tourism now more than ever. Some people might think these people are going on holiday, but they’re not. This is work and this is the first step in helping the Philippines bounce back."
He said the trip was largely being subsidised by the airline, Cathay Pacific, plus resorts and the transfers, so the actual cost to the tourist board was low.
He urged agents and operators who want to help with the relief effort to donate money to causes such as the Red Cross and the World Food Programme.
The official death toll from Typhoon Typhoon Haiyan stands at more than 2,300, but local officials and aid workers fear it could rise much higher.
According to the latest UN estimates, 11 million people have been affected, many left without homes, power, food or water.
* What do you think of the decision to go ahead with the fam trip? Send us your views by clicking on POST YOUR COMMENT below
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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