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Sunday, June 28, 2009

MAFBEX 2009 Set as RP's Largest Food Expo

Over 480 local booths and 60 international booths participated in the 3rd Manila Food and Beverage Expo (MAFBEX) 2009 held last June 17 – 21, 2009 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Organized by Worldbex Services International, in cooperation with De la Salle – College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB) - School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM), Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP), and Department of Tourism, the event was the biggest and most comprehensive food show of the year. MAFBEX 2009 serves as an avenue of small-scale and large-scale food businesses to attract potential buyers and promote local and international food business.

Philippine food legend Chef Nora Guanzon Villanueva – Daza with son Sandy and popular television show World Cafe Asia host and chef Bobby Chinn graced MAFBEX 2009. Chef Chinn held a special cooking demo, serving lobster paella and a Vietnamese dish.

The 5th ASEAN Bartending Championship served as one of the highlights of MAFBEX 2009, which was held last June 19. The international competition was jointly organized by HRAP and ASEAN Hotel and Restaurant Association. During the competition, young skilled professional bartenders from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines presented unique concoctions while exhibiting their flairtending and bartending moves. The competition aims to promote and improve the standards of ASEAN bartending in the hotel and restaurant industry.

SHRIM also staged inter-school competitions on table setup, cake decoration, mocktail punch, and travel poster design during the four-day event.

The 3rd Manila Food and Beverage Expo is supported by the Association of Food Cart Owners and Suppliers Philippines, Inc., (AFO) Food Caterers Association of the Philippines (FCAP), Filipino International Franchise Association (FIFA), United Coconut Associations of the Philippines (UCAP), Flaming Olives Mobile Bar, and Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, Inc.,(PAGASA), and the following media partners: DWRR 101.9 For Life, ABS-CBN Publishing Inc., Apetite Magazine, Business Mirror, Business World, Buy and Sell Philippines, Celebrity Recipes Plus Home and Gardens Magazine, China Business Philippines, Cook Magazine, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630kHz, DZMM Teleradyo, Filbars, Food Magazine, Franchise Today , Manila Bulletin, Philippine Graphic, The Philippine Star, Seniors Magazine, Jam 88.3, Killer Bee FM, Wave 891, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT, and 103.5 Max FM. MAFBEX 2009 is for the benefit of ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.,

For more information about the event, contact Worldbex Services International at (632) 531-6374; 531-6350; 531-5044; 533-6988, fax (632) 533 2026, email info@worldbex.com or visit their website at www.worldbex.com

Friday, June 26, 2009

DOT sets RP as Premier Wedding Destination at Hong Kong Travel Fair


The Department of Tourism continues to promote the Philippines as a premier wedding destination. Its latest move to tap the growing Asian market was during the 23rd Hong Kong International Travel Expo (ITE) held last June 11 – 14, 2009 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

With the theme, “Romantic Philippines”, the Philippine delegation, led by DOT Secretary Joseph 'Ace' Durano, featured the country's unique wedding getaways and exhilarating thrills, which captivated Asian couples.

“Our stunning landscapes truly make it a sought-after wedding destination. Couples would choose only the best for life’s most memorable events, and we are certain they would never run out of exciting discoveries in our many islands,” Secretary Durano said in an interview.

The Philippine booth showcased the works of leading fashion designer Renee Salud alongside with top local acts performing native dances and rendering Kundimans, or Filipino love songs.

Among the participating Philippine hotels and resorts include Boracay Regency Beach Resort and Convention Center, Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort, The Manila Hotel, El Nido Resort, Boracay Grand Vista Resort and Spa, Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa, Le Soleil de Boracay, Hotel Seraph Boracay, Waterfront Hotels and Casino, and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.

Travel operators Shroff International Travel Care, Inc., Castro Travel Solutions Agency, Le Soleil de Boracay, Happy Sun Travel and Tours, and Planet Holiday, as well as carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air were also present during the four-day event.

The 23rd ITE, organized by TKS Exhibition Services Ltd., gathered over 650 exhibitors from 50 countries and region from Africa, America, Asia, Europe , and Middle East. The event drew over 13,000 buyers, trade, and corporate visitors.


BiyahengPinas.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Ramos, Lily, Philippine News Agency. "Romantic Philippines" sets RP as premier wedding destination. Retrieved June 22, 2009 from
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?&sid=6&pfn=212232&arch=1&go=Go&search_arch=ROMANTIC&andor=and&mdte_arch=0&ddte_arch=0&ydte_arch=0
Reposted by Positive News Media at
http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Tourism_24/Romantic_Philippines_sets_RP_as_premier_wedding_destination.shtml

International Travel Expo Hong Kong Press Release. ITE & ITE MICE 2009 Visitors Undeterred by Swine Flu and Financial Crisis. (in PDF format) Retrieved June 22, 2009 from
http://www.itehkmice.com/doc/press_release/Post_show_17Jun09.pdf

Koumelis, Theodore, Travel Daily News International. Hong Kong’s only international travel expo open next week. Retrieved June 22, 2009 from
http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/31310-Hong-Kong%E2%80%99s-only-international-travel-expo-open-next-week