The Philippine Travel Agencies Association said it stepped up its campaign against scams targeting business travelers and tourists.
PTAA public relations officer Jaison Yang said in a statement they are ready to pursue legal action against any person or entity who would use the PTAA logo without permission, in any form or manner. The association began an intensive information drive to arm travelers with information that will protect them against scams.
“There are several red flags that you must not ignore when seeing any travel deals or offers. First, if the deal is too good to be true, ignore it or do additional research. You are being baited into accepting a deal that, in the end, will cost you more, or worse, entirely lose your travel money,” Yang said.
The PTAA infomercial also cautioned travelers against agents or agencies that would demand an advance deposit to process their papers. It said travelers should exert extra effort towards research. “Do your own research. In this digital era, everything can be found online. Compare the prices of both online travel booking platforms and traditional travel agencies. Check every detail, such as inclusions, taxes, and the and the standard of services. If you do your research online, double-check if the sites you are visiting are legitimate,” Yang said.