RP gets int'l award for post-‘Ondoy’ efforts

The Philippines has won an international award for its tourism and recovery efforts in the wake of September 2009’s typhoon Ondoy, which resulted to hundreds of deaths and billions of pesos worth in damages. The Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism event running this week in Dubai, declared the Philippines as the recipient of its New Frontiers Award 2010, a scheme recognizing destinations that make an outstanding contribution to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity. Other nominees for the award were Australia and Italy. Benito Bengzon Jr., assistant secretary of the Philippine Department of Tourism, accepted the award last Tuesday on behalf of the country from Mark Walsh, group exhibition director of the Arabian Travel Market. Through the awards scheme, the Philippines received $10,000 worth of free exhibition space at Arabian Travel Market 2011 to further the development of an essential component of its economy. Now on its fifth year, the New Frontiers Awards is voted for by industry experts and professionals including global travel and tourism associations as well as members of the public. Through a newly-introduced system for 2010, the New Frontiers Awards’ top-10 finalists were selected by voters online. Arabian Travel Market 2010, organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions, opened Tuesday with more than 2,100 exhibitors and stand-sharers representing a record 72 countries, including more than 60 new-to-market representatives, making it one of the most important editions in its 17-year history. - Albert Alba/KBK, GMANews.TV