Champions of Philippine tourism honored by SKAL

MANILA, Philippines – STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte paid tribute to the newspaper’s editors, deskmen and reporters for promoting tourism in the country.

“This award should also go to our talented editors and travel writers who are the best in the business,” said Belmonte, who received the Media Personality Award at the 25th SKAL International Tourism Personality Awards last Thursday night at the New World Hotel in Makati.

“It’s fulfilling to note that our efforts to promote Philippine tourism are recognized,” he added.

The STAR was the only newspaper honored at the gathering of movers and shakers in the country’s tourism industry. SKAL is a professional organization of tourism leaders around the world promoting global tourism and friendship.

“This annual event celebrates the achievements of exemplary individuals in the Philippine tourism industry,” said SKAL International-Makati president Robert Lim Joseph Jr.

SKAL also awarded STAR columnist Cito Beltran in the Tourism Education category.

“The STAR is the first newspaper to regularly promote Philippine tourism in mainstream media with its twice-a-week ‘Travel & Tourism’ and the Sunday ‘Travel Now’ sections,” Belmonte said after receiving his award. He added that the paper also has its regular twice-a-week directory for hotels and restaurants.

Other SKAL Personality Awardees included Tourism Promotions Board COO Domingo Ramon Enerio III (government service for tourism promotions), former tourism secretary Mina Gabor (sustainable community-based rural tourism development), Rajah Travel president Aileen Clemente (travel agency), SM Prime Holdings Inc. president Hans Sy (integrated tourism enterprise), Golden Arches Development Corp. chairman Dr. George Yang (international fast food chain), Huma resort owner Dr. Hamad Ibrahim E A O Al Tuwaijri (resort personality of the year), Starbucks Philippines COO Noey Tantoco Lopez (international coffee company) and PAL’s Ismael Augusto Gozon (airline personality of the year).

The crowd gave Bimby Aquino Yap a resounding applause when he received his SKAL International Youngest Tourism Media Personality award. His mother, Kris Aquino, was not present to receive her SKAL International Tourism Hall of Fame TV Host award.

Kris and Bimby, noted Joseph, extensively promoted Philippine tourism during the summer episodes of the show Kris TV, which also received the Hall of Fame award for travel show. Their network, ABS-CBN was honored as TV station of the year.