SILVER LINER Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco (holding a flag) welcomes foreign tourists as they disembark from the cruise ship Silver Spirit upon arrival at Manila. Coming from Ilocos Sur, the luxury liner brought in about 300 holiday makers mostly from Europe and United States. (File photo from MARIANNE BERMUDEZ)
MANILA, Philippines — Two tourism videos produced by the Department of Tourism (DOT) received special citations at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Video Competition 2023.
The contest was one of the activities at the organization’s general assembly held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on October 18.
According to the DOT, the video produced by its Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy, titled “GINTO: Tourism Heroes of Palawan,” was chosen for the Decade of Action category.
The category looked for stories showing how UNWTO member-states linked their promotional videos to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The video featured the deaf and mute workers of Ka Inato Restaurant in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
The restaurant owner, Eric John Yayen, gave the workers training and employment that were the same as the regular workers.
On the other hand, the video titled “GINTO: Tourism Hero of Zamboanga City” was chosen for the Exceptional Stories of Sustainable Tourism category.
The contest looked for videos showing remarkable examples of the human face of tourism and the sector’s potential positive social impact through the creation of opportunities.
The video captured the life of a DOT-accredited Mindanaoan tour guide Errold Bayona, and the paddlers of Yellow Boat Project in Sta. Cruz Island.
The story presented how they promoted Mindanao as a safe destination for travelers.
The videos were directed and edited by Christian Lim, with the assistance of Denison Manuel.
Hanah Tabios and Ina Loyola wrote the stories.
“It gives us pride and honor that The Philippines won both awards for two categories of this prestigious gathering of nations from across the globe,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in a statement.
“While we celebrate this win, we likewise emphasize how important it is to honor and prioritize our tourism frontline workers in all the undertakings of the industry,” she added.
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