Issue 44 – September 2022

Phl scores back-to-back win in  WTA Asia; Intramuros hailed as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction of 2022 

Philippines Department of Tourism (PDOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco expressed her elation as the Philippines is recognized as Asia’s Leading Dive Destination and Asia’s Leading Beach Destination, while Intramuros reclaimed its title as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the 29th World Travel Awards (WTA) 2022 held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Wednesday (September 7). 

” The Philippines is a beautiful country and you (WTA) having given these awards is such an affirmation to all of our tourism stakeholders and workers who have greatly sacrificed throughout the pandemic. We look to the future with hope that through our combined efforts under the Marcos Administration that has identified tourism to become a major pillar for economic recovery that not only will we survive the pandemic but we will thrive, we will endure and we will get back stronger than ever,” said Secretary Frasco in a video message sent to the WTA organizers. 

WTA awarded The Philippines for the sixth time as the Leading Beach Destination in Asia besting India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, and at the same time, achieving the Asia’s Leading Dive Destination title for four straight years since 2019, edging Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. 

Secretary Frasco noted that the dive citation from WTA only cements the premise of the PDOT in hosting of the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2022, which is considered as the country’s largest platform to network and promote the dive industry.  The Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD), an attached agency of the PDOT in-charge of marine sports, has recently appropriated a budget of Php9.53 million for the first time by the national government for a more intensified dive tourism promotion and development. 

WTA likewise hailed Intramuros Manila as this year’s Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction, winning over other competitors such as the Angkor Temples of Cambodia; Borobudur Temple Compounds of Indonesia; Ha Long Bay of Vietnam; Sengan-en and Shoko Shuseikan Museum of Kagoshima in Japan; Taj Mahal of India, teamLab SuperNature of Macao, Great Wall, The Forbidden City, and Terracotta Warriors, all in China; Tokyo Imperial Palace of Japan; and Victoria Peak of Hong Kong. 

” We are ready to receive you in the Philippines. We look forward to your visit and I invite each and every one of you to visit our beaches, our dive sites and our tourist destinations,” Secretary Frasco added. 

Secretary Frasco emphasized the significance of the WTA accolades, saying that “may this recognition remind us that all of us have a shared responsibility towards the success of the tourism industry, not only in our country, but in Asia and the world. We remain committed to purveying the Filipino brand of hospitality and to heralding the Filipino brand to the world”. 

Established in 1993, the London-based WTA acknowledges excellence in the travel and tourism industry in three tiers: country, regional, and world awards across different categories and is dubbed as the “Oscars” of the travel industry. 

Source: PDOT Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy

“Reborn” in London 

When London is calling, Mitch Desunia answers. The fashion capital is very close to the fashion designer’s heart. This is the city that embraces her curiosity, creativity and business acumen. 

More than two years after a global pandemic postponed what would have been her first international solo show, Mitch Desunia will finally showcase a collection at the Doubletree by Hilton, London Docklands Riverside, London, United Kingdom, on September 18, 2022. Aptly titled “Reborn,” it is a whimsical, imaginative and colorful collection of 45 pieces made of jacquard, brocade, silk, tulle and laser-cut appliqués. The shoes and bags are also Mitch Desunia pieces while the accessories are a collaboration with Flutter Statement Jewellery. The London presentation comes on the heels of Desunia’s splendid display at the recent New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023. 

As the Creative Director of Mitch Desunia Apparel Inc., which makes couture and ready-to-wear collections, and the international director of Princess of the Universe, an online modelling competition, Desunia has a vast international experience. A self-taught fashion creative and a self- made entrepreneur from Sorsogon, Desunia firthered her skills by enrolling at the University of the Arts London- Central Saint Martins where she took up Fashion and Textile Forecasting. A proudly Philippine fashion and retail brand, Mitch Desunia (https://web.facebook.com/mitchdesunia and www.mitchdesunia.com) has been showcasing its collections twice yearly in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Monaco, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates since February 2016. In 2018, she established, IDO Manila, an RTW line of occasion dresses for women available at select Robinsons department stores nationwide. This year, she launched Desunia Beauty Essentials, a health and beauty line, and the luxury label, “Mitch Desunia London,” which is about high-end clothes, shoes, bags, scents and accessories for both men and women. The Mitch Desunia Label was also able to license Mode UK.

“Reborn” the fashion show will be participated by aspiring kids and teen models, the winners of Princess of the Universe, beauty queens and professional models. The gala will be attended by people in business, society, arts and culture, and philanthropy from the Filipino-British community and from around the world. 

Home to coconut palm-fringed beaches, lush jungles, and miles of sapphire ocean, you don’t have to travel far in the Philippines for a postcard-perfect view. Yet this archipelago is more than just pretty to look at.

El Nido boat trip © R.M.Nunes/Shutterstock

Its natural environments are integral to local livelihoods, ancient traditions, and unique wildlife you won’t find anywhere else on Earth.

To protect this, the Philippines is dedicated to a greener future. Almost half of its total energy use comes from renewable sources, with Asia’s highest concentration of geothermal power. 

Beaches like Boracay have famously closed for temporary stints, in order to recover from over-tourism. And to combat illegal wildlife activity, local groups have kickstarted initiatives that serve to educate visitors and fund conservation efforts.

As a traveler, participating in eco-tourism is one of the best ways you can support these efforts. Check out these unmissable eco-adventures to make your Philippines trip a sustainable one.

Kayakasia Firefly Kayaking Trail (Bohol)

The banks of Bohol’s Abatan river glimmer with the golden glow of pteroptyx macdermotti. This is one of the world’s rarest species of firefly, endemic to the mangrove forests that they light up like Christmas trees. 

However, they are under threat from the use of tourist motorboats. The boats rip through the river and destroy their nests along the riverbank.

Kayakasia Philippines runs conservation kayak tours, where profit is invested into protecting the fireflies’ habitat. The organization also hires the children of local fishermen as guides. Atop a salary, Kayakasia has sent several alumni to college, creating social mobility within the community.

The tour will set you back 1,950 pesos ($36) per person. You’ll find their office just under five miles from Taglibaran. Once there, you’ll quietly paddle into the abyss of night, the stars (and fireflies) lighting the way.

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