THE second Sports Tourism Awards was launched during the 2017 Sports Tourism Forum held in Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City, on Tuesday, July 25.
Sports Tourism Forum and Sports Tourism Awards founder Charles Lim and Sports Development Division-City Mayors Office (SDD-CMO) officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera led the opening of nominations.
"The awards celebrates the impactful and inspiring synergy of athletes, local government units, and private institutions on organizations, that encourage different sports programs that showcase the richness of the country's tourism landscape," Lim said.
The Philippine Sports Tourism Awards is the country's first award giving body that aims to recognize stakeholders who have made outstanding contributions to the sports tourism industry.
It was in 2004 when the Sports Tourism Awards was held in Cebu. Since then, seminars and workshops were held in Subic, Laoag, Davao City, Bacolod City, Clark, Manila, Cagayan de Oro City and Puerto Princesa.
There are 11 categories entered in the awards including the destination of the year, organizer of the year, event of the year, sports association of the year, hotel/resort of the year, tour operator of the year, destination of the year, destination marketing of the year, event sponsorship of the year and charity event of the year.
Some 160 participants from different sectors participated in the forum backed by Selrahco, Lungsod ng Dabaw. Department of Tourism (DOT), SDD-CMO and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Participants from Pasig City, Banay-Banay, Maco Compostela Valley, Montevista, Island Garden City of Samal, Tagum City and Davao Oriental came while the bulk are from Davao City.
Among the resource speakers were DOT-Davao City tourism officer Generose Tecson, Aportadera, Lim, Philippine Rugby Football Union director of development Matthew Cullen, Visit Davao Fun Sale chairman Benjie Lizada and Fox Networks Group Philippines general manager Jude Turcuato.