Travel Cafe Philippines

http://www.travelcafephilippines.com/index.php
Two orders of a regular cup of coffee and a trip for two to the beautiful island of Boracay please…

Fancying this can happen? Imagine no more as entering a café can now get you a delicious cup of coffee, a travel booking around the country, and a one-of-kind experience of the Philippines as a great destination like no other.

As the old famous saying goes, it is “only in the Philippines” that the world is able to see things that are more than the usual. The introduction of the first-ever destination-themed Lifestyle Café, TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® (TCP), which is a pioneering “branding initiative” for tourism promotions of the Philippine Department of Tourism, can attest to this. But TCP will not offer merely ordinary twists to coffee shops; its unique and creative philosophy is to combine the elements of “coffee, travel and more.”

TCP offers a beverage menu with organically grown, Fair Trade Philippine Coffee from Batangas, Mount Matutum, and Cordillera Mountains. Furthermore, TCP introduces one of the rarest types of coffee and what is considered as the most expensive type in the world, the Coffee Alamid (Philippine Civet Coffee). It also boasts off its world-class food menu which is reflective of traditional Filipino cuisine offering limited but exclusive selection of soups, salads, pasta dishes, full course meals and desserts.

Aside from these, what makes TCP totally unique is the Travel Shop that is manned by a full-time Travel Concierge providing personalized consultation and travel advice to its customers. To serve as the “conversion vehicle” for Philippine tourism, the Travel Shop offers travel services from simple inquiries of when and where to go in the Philippines, travel information about where to stay, shop, dine, etc., to actual onsite travel bookings to the country’s various destinations. TCP provides a very convenient facility to everyone wanting to experience the country. Its Travel Library houses reference materials, maps, guidebooks, newsletters and magazines about the country.

As part of Philippine Department of Tourism’s (DOT) campaign, TCP has been born out of the vision of creating global awareness and recognition for a successful and outstanding brand for the country’s tourism. The utmost aim is to establish numerous TCPs worldwide through franchising while maximizing on the global acceptance by consumers of the trendy concept of a “café” as a “lifestyle venue.”

The brilliant concept behind TCP started in September 22, 2005 when it was introduced by Mr. Kazuyuki Goto of Travel Café Co., Ltd. (a Japanese company specializing in the operation of themed cafes all over Japan) to the Philippine Department of Tourism. Months after, DOT and Travel Café Co., Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the establishment of Travel Café Philippines in Tokyo.

In July 25, 2006, the very first TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® (TCP) was opened in Iidabashi, Tokyo, Japan. From its opening day, TCP in Tokyo has continuously received overwhelmingly positive response for the Japanese market. Philippine Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano recognizes this tremendous success and this has led him to expand the TCP into a franchise business model.

Here in the Philippines, a prototype TCP has been established in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center in Makati (launched on 18 December 2007). A satellite TCP in the SMX Convention and Exhibition Center in Pasay City will open in July 2008.

In order to establish a thematic plan for TCP, the team of top interior designer Budji Layug and premier architect Royal Pineda created a TCP design philosophy inspired by traditional Filipino craftsmanship and the usage of three design elements: bamboo, weave, and the ancient Filipino calligraphy “Baybayin” for all design elements of the TCP. Their aim is to transform traditional Philippine materials into uniquely modern designs, combining form and functionality in the architectural and interior design of TCP.

To achieve uniformity, the design philosophy is applied as well to other elements such as the menu, décor, merchandising (TCP Music Menu, limited edition TCP apparel, signature ceramic art pieces and Philippine Coffee), etc. To create the unique and sumptuous food and beverage menu, Makati Skyline Inc., one of the premier names in the food and beverage industry, was commissioned by TCP for its signature menu. Even the dinnerware and other tableware to be used are specially made by ceramic artists like Lanelle Abueva Fernando and Clemens Wirth of The Stoneware Pottery to create an exclusive line for TCP.

The TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® will open in other parts of the world: the TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® San Francisco, California, U.S.A. will open in December 2008. Negotiations are underway for TCPs in New Delhi, Seoul, Beijing, and Melbourne, Australia. TCP will enter into strategic partnerships with private entities who share with them a common vision and strong commitment to build a strong global TCP brand.

The TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® will be strategically located in trendy, up-market areas in key cities, targeting the new urban professionals while encouraging everyone to travel to the Philippines. TCP is sure to showcase and create a stylish, chic yet distinctively Filipino lifestyle among the market.

With the advent of TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® in the world market, there is no doubt that the coffee experience is no longer just a plain boring one. TCP reinvents your coffee, your travel, your lifestyle and your experience of the Philippines.