DELHI
Philippines Tourism won the “Best National Tourism Organization” for 2013 at the South India Travel Awards held in Hyderabad on March 27, 2014. The award recognises the outstanding contribution of Philippines Tourism in promoting its products through its branding campaign and roadshows in South India, particularly in the cities of Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
Philippines Tourism organised three roadshows and one location meeting with filmmakers in the region to promote its various destinations and to facilitate business deals among its private sector partners.
Mr. Amit Bhasin, Convener of the India Travel Awards said, “South India Travel Awards is an initiative to create an all-India platform to recognize those behind the success of the travel and tourism industry and to recognize their achievements.”
The awards were based on a fair and unbiased selection process done through voting and judgments by a panel of jury consisting of luminaries of the travel industry. The formal Black-tie ceremony was graced by the who’s who of South India’s travel and tourism industry.
Amit Bhasin added that the South India Travel Awards is the first of the four regional recognition events (the other three will be in the North, East, and West) leading to the national India Travel Awards scheduled later in the year. It is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India.
“We are very pleased to know that our Indian counterparts appreciate how serious we are at growing the market. This award will definitely inspire our industry stakeholders to work harder to understand the Indian market better,” DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said.
The South Indian cities of Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai collectively make up 1.22 million out of 5.24 million Indian passports issued nationwide in 2012. They are also the top three cities in the number of passports issued for the same year. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicts that India will have 50 million outbound travel by 2020.
“Tapping huge source markets like India is one of the strategies towards our goal of 10 million international visitors by 2016,” the Secretary added.
In 2013, India contributed 52,206 visitors to the Philippines, a 12.53% growth from 2012. Indians comprise 1.12% of the total volume of visitors for 2013.
