Press Release
September 12, 2008

GORDON RECEIVES SKAL TOURISM AWARD

Senator Richard J. Gordon was conferred by tourism organization SKAL International-Makati with an award for being the "Government Personality of the Year" due to his impressive advocacies on tourism promotions.

The SKAL Tourism Personality Awards is an event aimed at recognizing personalities who contributed immensely to the advancement and growth of the travel and tourism industry in the country.

Gordon, whom many referred to as Mr. WOW Philippines, will be given the "Government Personality of the Year" award for his outstanding achievements and significant contributions to the tourism industry.

In his first-term as a senator, Gordon authored Senate Bill 88, or the 2007 Tourism Act, which seeks the formulation of a national policy for tourism as an engine of investment, employment, growth and national development.

As chairman of the Senate committee on tourism, he has been continuously involved in the development of tourism in the country. In fact, he recently asked Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to revive Intramuros' Best of the Regions, which is the senator's brainchild during his stint as Tourism Secretary.

From 2001 to 2004, the former tourism secretary had launched the "WOW Philippines! More than the usual!" campaign, which he used to transform the country's tourism industry then plagued by a negative image of kidnappings and SARS disease and complicated by an era of continued threat of terrorism.

The WOW Philippines! campaign tremendously increased tourists' arrivals that rejuvenated the industry, becoming the country's acknowledged fastest way to address poverty and unemployment.

Gordon has also been elected as World Tourism Organization Commissioner for East Asia and the Pacific in 2002 and Chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for 2003.

He also became the chief advocate of Third World countries that have been unduly affected in tourism and trade by unfair Travel Advisories imposed by Western governments.

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