The Cebu Tourism and Hospitality Awards (CTHA) celebrates its fifth year, and the Hotel, Resort & Restaurant Association of Cebu, Inc. (HRRACI) looks “beyond recognition with its renewed perspectives.”
“Our vision is simple: to project Cebu as a globally competitive, people-driven tourism destination,” said HRRACI President Mia Singson-Leon.
“Over the next five years, HRRACI aims to strengthen Cebu’s position as a leading destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), develop globally competitive tourism professionals who choose to build their careers in Cebu, and ensure the industry’s growth is anchored on sustainability, culture and community.”
“We want Cebu to deliver service that can seriously compete with the top MICE destinations,” Singson-Leon said, “and at the same time become a training ground for world-class tourism workers and grow the industry without losing what makes Cebu, ‘Cebu.’”
The vision is rooted in the industry’s journey over the past five years.
I have been part of many tourism projects in Cebu in my past association with the Cebu City Tourism Commission, with my then colleagues and tourism pioneers Renato Osmeña, Julius and Nelia Neri, Paul Loo of Cathay Pacific, Francisco Borromeo, Joseph Gaisano, Charles Lim, Cris Lebunfacil, etc. We initiated varied tourism and travel projects.
Extensive media coverage led by VoxPop Daily, The Freeman and Cebu Daily News reached out to many Cebuanos abroad and regional tourism outlets. The tri-media have always been the vital link to the tourism programs.
The academe, then led by the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Southwestern University, University of San Carlos, Speechcom International, University of Cebu and University of the Visayas, had been the channels to offer tourism and travel courses.
The Cebu City Tourism Commission and various travel and tourism groups, then led by Francisco, Renato, Charles, Paul, Nelia and Julius Neri, Alice Queblatin, with the help of Aida Uy, Jenny Franco, Cherry Pie Callelero, Chris, Jay Adeguer, Dawnie Roa and this writer, linked with varied tourism-based institutions, enterprises and airlines like Cathay Pacific, Island Souvenirs, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.
Other names of travel and tourism players escaped me.
Cebu had emerged as the popular destination with its “history, natural sites and beaches, historic churches, cultural events, food and hotel facilities” and will continue to develop.