Melo Villareal
Maricris U. Payongayong won two full expense paid trips to Hong Kong when she submitted the above photo in EastWest Bank’s Dream Travel Promo. The promo is still open to submission of vacation photos featuring family and relatives from March 15 to April 14 for a chance to win another trip to HK for two. For more details on how to join, just visit EastWest Bank’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eastwestbanker.
EastWest, one of the fastest growing banks in the country, launched “The Dream Travel” promo earlier this year using Facebook as a platform.
Dream Travel Photo Winner
The said promo called upon its FB fans to upload vacation photos taken during past local and international travels to the EastWest Dream Travel Facebook app. Photos simply had to follow a set monthly theme; with January having a subject of vacation photos with friends, while February asked for photos with a loved one, and March called for photos with family or relatives.
“EastWest Bank tries to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to our products and marketing communication efforts,” said Allan M. Tumbaga, EastWest Bank vice president and head, Bank Marketing and Corporate Communications. “The Dream Travel Promo uses the Facebook platform, and is the best channel to help us introduce the Travel Money multi-currency prepaid card; a ‘first’ not only in the Philippines but in Southeast Asia.”
Maricris “Krit-Krit” U. Payongayong, an EastWest Facebook fan, is an unabashed lover of social media and traveling. Out of a field of hundreds of entries during the promo’s first month, she became the first monthly winner of the Dream Travel Promo upon entering the contest on a whim the evening she saw the bank announcement on her FB news feed. Krit-Krit chose a shot of her and some long-time friends crossing a street in Bulacan State University, where she is a high school alumnus, after sorting through old pictures from her blog.
“We haven’t seen each other in eight years,” Krit-Krit describes the get-together with her pals. “It was a trip down memory lane, so I asked them if we can take a picture of us ‘floating in air’ kasi it’s like a dream. I like that it turned out to be an ‘artsy-fartsy’ shot.”
The photo inspired by the Beatles album, Abbey Road, won Krit-Krit a prize package that includes the two round trip tickets to Hong Kong, three-days and two-nights hotel accommodations, and P10,000 pocket money loaded onto an EastWest Travel Money card.
The EastWest Travel Money (TM) card was launched by the bank in October last year. It is the first multi-currency prepaid card in Southeast Asia which can carry up to six different foreign currencies – US Dollar, Euro, British Pound, Australian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar and Japanese Yen.
The TM provides practicality and security to travelers who can now purchase foreign currencies for loading onto their cards when exchange rates are low. The exchange rate is locked-in for the currencies loaded, hence, protecting funds from fluctuating foreign exchange rates.
The Dream Travel promo on FB captures the frequent travelers who are the right market for the EastWest Travel Money card. In fact, the promo winners will get the chance to be among the first to enjoy the benefits of the card as they are also given one loaded with pocket money when they avail of the trip to Hong Kong.
Krit-Krit is not new to EastWest Bank. She has been a proud owner of an EastWest Dolce Vita credit card since 2011, and sings the praises of the bank’s fast, responsive services. “I just submitted my (card application) requirements, konting interview, and then ayun na, fast dumating yung card.” She now uses the card as a convenient extra credit. “Hindi naman ako credit card holder dati. Pero nag-e¬-enjoy ako gamiting yung card kasi when you don’t have cash, it’s there.”
The travel junkie said that she has already visited Cambodia and Kota Kinabalu in the past, and that she is really looking forward to December, when she takes her first Hong Kong trip.
In a simple awarding ceremony, Krit-krit recently claimed her prize which was handed to her by EastWest vice president and Marketing Communications Department head Mai G. Sangalang.
“Having someone who really loves to travel winning in our Dream Travel promo is indeed a bonus for us,” said Sangalang. “Because although the contest calls for sending in photos of past dream vacations, we’d like to think that EastWest can help fulfill new dreams and new vacations, as well.”
Said Krit-Krit upon acceptance, “I am really, truly thankful that they have this kind of promo that will give a chance to their (Facebook) fans or their clients to travel. I hope they offer a trip to Singapore next. I haven’t been there yet!”
The EastWest Dream Travel promo runs until April 15, 2014. For more details on how to join, log on to EastWest Bank’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/eastwestbanker).
