LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Tourism (DOT) has chosen Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda as the first recipient of its Tourism Star Philippines Award in recognition of his “exemplary contribution to the Philippine Tourism Industry.” Salceda’s DOT award came after a series of recognitions and citations he received this year, among them, the Outstanding Ateneo Alumni Award, The Outstanding Filipino Leadership Award of the JCI Senate Philippines, and the Civil Service Most Outstanding Public Servant Award. The Tourism Star Philippines Award is DOT’s most recently launched merit award. It is given to individuals who have demonstrated strong and deep commitment to the country’s tourism through excellent customer service and investment in tourism development efforts. The citation was presented to the governor during the awards night on December 18 in Makati City. Salceda is now widely acknowledged as among the most active and effective tourism prime movers in the country. He has a number of novelty programs to attract more visitors to the country, particularly to his province of Albay. His efforts have paid well. Tagged as the fastest growing and hottest destination in the country in 2013, Albay has emerged from being a disaster-mauled to a dynamic province picking up from its measly arrivals of 8, 700 foreign tourists in 2007 and boosting it to 339,445 in 2013. Of the number, about 300,000 came in only within the last three years or from 2010 onwards. Albay registered a 66% tourism growth last year from 2012’s 170,421 foreign arrivals, besting the 2013 national growth rate of only 15.1%. Following this phenomenal performance, Albay was proclaimed as the Philippine’s most favored tourist destination in rites held at the Hyatt Hotel in Hongkong last June 23.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 23:20:14 +0000
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