BUDGET airline Cebu Pacific (CebPac) offers huge discounts for travelers bound to Japan and Korea the two most favorite leisure destinations among Filipinos.

This is after Japan started accepting visa applications on June 10 while South Korea opened its borders to tourists.

Arlene Tena, Cebu Pacific Director for passenger sales and distribution, said Japan is now open to Filipino tourists, but they must book their trip through an accredited Japan-based tour operator.

“You have to buy a tour package from an accredited [Japanese] tour operator, unlike before, you can buy on your own. Mina-manage pa rin nila and influx ng tourists,” she explained.

Tena said travelers can avail of the promo tickets for Japan and Korea at the travel tour expo from June 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center.

She said they will sell plane tickets for Japan and Korea at a very low price, but the travel dates need to be flexible.

“Sobrang mura,” Tena said when asked how much discount the traveler can avail.

For travelers who want to avail of the promo but have yet to secure their visas, Tena advised them to purchase the Ceb Flexi bundle.

The Ceb Flexi product allows passengers to voluntarily cancel their flights for free, up to two hours before departure, and store the value of the booking in a Travel Fund.

The amount may be used to book new flights or purchase other add-ons such as seat selection, travel insurance, and unlimited rebooking.

Kyodo News Agency reported Japan relaxed the entry protocol for travelers beginning Friday for passengers coming from 98 “Blue list” countries and territories, including the Philippines, United States, Britain, China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Counselor Hideki Makino of the Japanese Embassy in Manila said, however, “It’s (partial opening) just for participants of a package organized by an agent in Japan,”

The Embassy said Japanese tour operators will handle the application of tourists. Once the guided tour is finalized, tourists may apply for a visa through a travel agent.

The Embassy said fully vaccinated individuals are exempt from quarantine but would have to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result within 72 hours before departure.

At least 142 exhibitors will participate in the 29th Travel Tour Expo and the business-to-business (B2B) travel trade mart 7th International Travel Trade Expo (iTTE).

“We’re offering or promoting all the destinations, locally and internationally, especially those that relaxed their protocols,” PTAA President Michelle Taylan told reporters.

Apart from tours, offers at the expo also include accommodations and travel insurance.

The PTAA estimates around 30,000 to 45,000 visitors in attendance for the three-day fair.

The ticket price is P50 for general admission and P30 for senior citizens

Japan and Korea have been the top leisure destinations among Filipinos in the past years. They are the closest countries that have four seasons.

Filipinos are more interested in Japan and Korea because of the people, culture, food, and shopping. Travelers also feel safer when in these countries.