With vibrant colors and an energetic atmosphere, Traveler’s In Progress’ (TRIP) 50th Travel and Tourism Exposition (TTE), “Pusong Nagueño: Pagsinta para sa Naga” commenced at the Augusto-Rosario Gonzales Theater (ARG), Taft Campus on March 16 aiming to rebrand Naga City and make it a meaningful experience for locals and visitors alike.
The exposition, which has been running for 16 years now, featured several events, including “TAGLAY: Digital Tourism Marketing Competition (DTMC),” where first-year students from the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM) presented their creative campaigns to a panel of judges, namely Mr. Marco Santiago, Director of the Benilde Marketing Center; Mr. Shane Bellare, a professional with extensive experience in digital marketing, social media, e-commerce, and advertising; and Ms. Krizia Francine Coronel from the Marketing and Promotions Division of the Naga Investment and Tourism Promotions Office.
Lights, camera, Naga
Setting the tone early, Project Manager Sophia Felizze Limeta, an ID123 student from the Tourism Management (BS-TM) program, reminded the room that the stakes ran deeper than a scorecard.
“Isn't it refreshing that the work you created has the potential to shape how people see Naga City? … Your creativity can contribute to the future of tourism,” she said.
Opening remarks from Dr. Marie Paz Castro, SHRIM Dean, echoed the sentiments, framing the exposition as a testament to years of dedication in advancing tourism education. “Tourism is not only about [the] destination,” she shared, “but also about the people, culture and experiences.”
The entire day unfolded in two halves. The first centered on the DTMC presentations, wherein eight groups took the stage one by one to pitch their Naga City rebranding campaigns before a panel of three judges.
The second half opened with a talk titled “The Bucketlist Family: Philippines as the 100th Country floor to the keynote guests,” featuring the famous family travel vloggers, The Bucket List Family—an American family who sold everything, left their home in Utah, and spent years traveling the world. Their talk was moderated by Ms. Franchezka Paras touched on lessons learned across borders and the quiet power of Filipino hospitality.
After a day of meaningful insights and performances ranging from robust dance productions to heartfelt singing, the spotlight turned to the much awaited winners of the DTMC. The results were finally announced, with group DTMC 05 claiming first place, with DTMC 07 and DTMC 03 taking second and third, respectively.
The road to the 50th
Limeta, the Programs and Productions Director and co-Project Manager, and Jim Ervin De Luis, an ID123 student from the BS-TM program and Vice President for Event Operations and Co-project Manager, were both handling TTE for the very first time. The road, however, was far from smooth. The team had anticipated 80 to 100 participants, as had been the norm in previous years—but the actual number came in at 41.
“There was a big, big challenge for us,” Limeta admitted. “Meron pa kami parang pagdadalawang isip kung matutuloy ba namin ‘yung TTE.”
They pushed through, trimming costs and adjusting logistics until, in what Limeta described as a “surreal” turn of events, the Bucket List Family, who happened to be visiting the Philippines at the time, responded to TRIP's outreach and agreed to speak. What had initially begun as a crisis emerged as one of the exposition’s most defining moments.
The partnership with Naga City gave the exposition its soul. Brokered through a faculty member who personally reached out to the city, Pusong Nagueño was born directly from Naga's own rebranding efforts. The student outputs, De Luis shared, are set to be handed to the city for use in their upcoming rebranding. “It’s a win-win situation,” he stated. “We're representing Benilde, and the outcome is really for Naga.”
Within the competition
Sebastian Gorospe, an ID125 student from the BS-TM program, mentioned that it was a good experience to take part in even though their group struggled in the Q&A portion of their presentation, sharing that “I'm still glad that we were able to pull it off well, and get one of the judges’ praises.”
Meanwhile, other participants felt anxious, as Mariel Alonzo, an ID125 student from the BS-TM program, claimed that “presenting to the judges was nerve-wracking, but presenting it successfully was enough for our hard work.”
The participants unanimously agreed that joining TTE deepened their appreciation for underrated destinations in the Philippines, helping them apply their skills to real-world challenges. Sharing more lessons, The Bucketlist Family also taught them that a bucket list is not just about travel, but about setting intentional goals for personal growth—where each achievement offers a lesson that teaches patience and courage.
The future setting
Through this event, tourism was hoped to be elevated to a higher level than it had been known before. Limeta shared that “People travel, not just to go from here to there, but to experience the destination fully rather than just what it is. It gives meaning to the travel, and the appreciation of that destination.” De Luis also mentioned that “it is our duty or responsibility to be one of those makers to enhance our tourism, na mas makilala ang tourism. To make a change.” They strived to make a greater impact on tourism while promoting deeper meaning within it.
Partnering with provinces for events such as the TTE creates a huge influence to the tourism industry and to the overall Filipino community. Both sides are able to benefit from the learnings of these events, Limeta shares that “students can learn more about the destinations, and gain the passion.” While De Luis added, “It is a good platform to showcase our tourism industry here in the Philippines. Not just with our destinations, but of course with our culture, our heritage.” Students were able to showcase insights from their findings, and the people from the partnering community can apply it for their local development.
16 years of Travel and Tourism Expositions. Hundreds of hands that built it term after term. And at the heart of it all is a word that says everything: taglay—to carry, and to hold with one’s heart.
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