DOT revives Philippine Tourism Awards

MANILA, Philippines — To further boost the tourism industry in the country, the Department of Tourism (DOT) revived on Friday the Philippine Tourism Awards (PTA) which also aims to promote healthy competition among industry players.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said that the revival of the competition will foster the improvement of the quality of tourism in the Philippines.

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“Reviving these awards scheme as well as improving it to be more inclusive to emerging and less renowned destinations will encourage our Filipino domestic tourists to discover our hidden gems and to give opportunities for our less renowned destinations,” Frasco said in an interview with reporters.

“By giving destinations the stamp of approval and recognition through the PTA, we build confidence in our destinations,” she added.

To nominate, one must visit the website of the DOT and input the details of the hotel, resort, apartment hotel, beach destination, tour guide, and other key players in the tourism industry that they want to nominate.

Among the criteria for selecting the winners mentioned by Frasco were sustainability, Filipinoization, and support for local artisans and enterprises.

There is no cash prize for the winner; however, Frasco said that the award will serve as their “stamp of approval,” which can further attract more visitors or patrons to their establishment and services.

“We should capitalize on what is available to us and help our tourism community,” Frasco said.

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