TWO Cebu-based hospitality properties won big during this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Tourism Awards, particularly in the Asean meeting, incentive, convention, exhibition (Mice) Venue Awards held in Laos.
Divided into three categories: room, exhibition venue and event venue, the Department of Tourism, in its website, said this specific accolade is granted to physical spaces with quality facilities and impressive services, designed and provided for Mice activities with purposes for meetings, exhibitions and events.
According to the Asean Tourism Awards, the major criteria for the awards encompass the standards of physical aspects, venue management and people working within venues that competitively meet the requirements of Mice travelers.
In a statement, Asean said the major criteria for the awards encompass the standards of physical aspects, venue management and people working within venues that competitively meet the requirements of Mice travelers.
Bai Hotel Cebu is one of the five properties that won in the meeting room category along with Clark Marriott Hotel, Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort, Princesa Garden Island Resort & Spa and Seda Hotel Nuvali.
Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark Cebu, on the other hand, was one of the winners for the event venue category together with Palacio del Sur by Marcian Group, Infinity Garden by Baguio Country Club, CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center and Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa by Modern Asia Inc.
Properties like World Trade Center Metro Manila (Manila Exposition Complex), SMX Convention Center Manila, Cordillera Convention Hall by Baguio Country Club, Isabela Convention Center and Iloilo Convention Center also won the exhibition hall category for Mice Venue Awards.
Other winners
The awarding ceremony that was held in Vientiane, Laos on the sidelines of the ATF 2024, also saw the recognition of three Philippine cities and other outstanding tourism stakeholders.
The cities of Baguio in Benguet, Ilagan in Isabela, and Tabuk in Kalinga were awarded as the AseanClean Tourist City. These are the areas where the flow of visitors and where cultural, natural and/or man-made attractions exist, according to Asean Tourism Standards.
Prime properties Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Club Paradise Palawan, Bohol Beach Club, Seda Nuvali and The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay won the Asean Green Hotel Award.
This award recognizes hotel industry players whose operations are based on the achievement of sustainable tourism through environment friendly principles, human resource development, resource consumption reduction and local community involvement.
Meanwhile, Palawan-based property Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort was named as a lead partner for “Enchanting Gastronomical Sabang Delights, Beach Forest and Caves” under the Asean Sustainable Tourism Awards.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco praised the significant contributions of tourism stakeholders, highlighting their role not only in revenue generation but also in employing millions of Filipinos.
“These achievements reflect not only the excellence and dedication that you have put in with the development of tourism but also contribute significantly to the overall advancement and sustainability of the Asean tourism industry,” said Frasco, in a statement.
ATF 2024
During the ATF Frasco shared the country’s commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism practices in a series of panel discussions participated by tourism ministers, representatives from various governments, as well as private sector organizations within the region.
The forum was anchored on the theme: “Quality and Responsible Tourism – Sustaining Asean Future.”
“For our part, our President has only one and clear mandate for us in our attendance here, and that is to reintroduce the New Philippines as a tourism powerhouse in Asia, whose people are the epitome of warmth and hospitality, and whose poignant smile is next to none,” the tourism chief said.