The festival seeks to involve the community and provide wholesome entertainment to local residents as well as visitors in this city during summer.

Of the 46 entries, 20 registered in the Flat Kite (jumbo) and 15 in the Figure Kite (jumbo) categories while eight in Flat Kite (smallest) and three in Figure Kite (smallest) categories.

Glenn Saavedra of Barangay Guiwan went home with a total cash prize of P16,000 as two of his entries won the first prize — at P5,000 each — in the Flat Kite (jumbo) and Figure Kite (jumbo) categories.

Saavedra also received two trophies on top of the first prize awards.

Saavedra’s two other entries were named as the favorite of the crowd — special award — in the Flat Kite and Figure Kite categories with P3,000 cash prize in each of the category.

Carlos Cabudol of Barangay Victoria went home with a total prize P6,000 as two of his entries won special awards in the Flat Kite (smallest) and Figure Kite (jumbo) categories with P3,000 cash prize in each of the category.

Ferrielyn Alama won the second place and Prince Mar Revillas placed third in the Flat Kite category and received a cash prize of P3,000 and P2,000, respectively.

Nestor Delgado grabbed the second place and Dudung Ramos placed third in the Figure Kite category and received a cash prize of P3,000 and P2,000, respectively.

The entries of Ronald Aquino and Cyril Saavedra won a special award in the Flat Kite category (jumbo) and Figure Kite category (smallest), respectively and received a cash prize of P3,000 each.

The kite flying competition was held at the Paseo del Mar, which is the newest tourist attraction of this southern port city.

Hundreds of spectators witnessed the competition, sponsored by the city government through the City Tourism Office.

Incoming search terms:

• puerto princesa palawan underground river
• flying kite contest philippines
• pictures of kite philippine festivals
• phillipine kite flying competition
• philippines kite flying event
• philippine kite festival 2012
• national kite flying competition in philippines
• kites philippines pictures
• Kites in phlippines picture RSS
• kite flying in philippines

One way might be to grab a seat at the Asian Poker Tour of the Philippines (APT) for 2011. Sure, you could pony up the money and then get your ass handed to you by the pros, but a better way might be to go as a spectator and watch how the pros really do it. While the Asian Poker Tour isn’t the highest stakes game around, it’s nothing to slouch at. It’s not uncommon for winners to walk away from the table with a quarter of a million dollars or more. So, don’t bother counting your money when you are sitting at the table because it’s probably either too much or too little to bother with.

The Asian Poker Tour of the Philippines will run from March 28th to April 3rd at the Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, Philippines. Expect to see a lot of cool characters in town during that time. No word yet on whether the games will be televised, but given the fanatical way that Filiponos have taken to Texas Hold em and poker, you can be pretty sure that it will be on the tube. A number of websites and businesses are helping great card players without money to raise seed money, so if you don’t have the buy-in money, don’t despair.

And remember, wait to pick up your cards until the dealer is done.

Incoming search terms:

• philippines tourist spots photography
• leisure sports and recreation in the philippines
• selancar
• TIENS PALAWAN
• sports and recreation
• health and wellness blog philippines
• philippine health and wellness blogs
• oroderm cebu services and prices
• health blog philippines
• health atlas treatment davao city philipenes

Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director for Southern Mindanao Art Boncato also said with the Tourism Act fully implemented in Davao, which is now being in the top five destinations outside of Metro Manila, they can have proper documentation of their tourism statistics.

He said, with an accurate data, the sector would be able to develop a realistic marketing strategy vis-a-vis accommodation of hotels and tourism establishments.

He cited that in Davao City, only 1,300 rooms are recorded, although the total number of rooms runs to about 4,700.

“When the law will be fully implemented, we would be able to give the real number of visitors,” he added.

Araceli Ayuste, chair of the Davao del Norte Tourism Council and who is also the concurrent chair of the Mindanao Tourism Council, for her part, said they found a new direction with the industry especially when President Simeon Benigno C. Aquino III early on announced of the government’s support in strengthening the tourism industry.

She noted that with the President pushing for tourism as he expounded during his inaugural speech, the local government units especially in the Island Garden City of Samal where she operates a resort, is now a clear direction of the local government units (LGUs) with regards the tourism industry sector.

She said this has been their clamor for the past 12 years and now they see projects on infrastructure that would support the industry here.

“There are things to be addressed and mostly are on infrastructure which before the local government did not understand its importance to the tourism industry,” she said.

However, she said there has still to be a clear cut implementation of the “Environmental User’s Fee * (EUF)” because as an operator I would prefer a one time collection of fees that covers the different activities in identified tourism sites.

Meanwhile, former DOT Secretary Narzalina Z. Lim who discussed “Biodiversity Conservation and Community-based Tourism when asked about EUF said this must be thoroughly discussed and properly implemented among concerned stakeholders.

Lim who was one of the resource speakers during the 1st Davao Biodiversity Summit is also president of Asia Pacific Projects, Inc.

Expounding on a case study the Nam Ha Eco-tourism project where the government tapped the community in tourism related activities.

She said among others they were successful in their implementation as data showed in 2006 it already generated some 56,932 dollars in revenues.

She cited as an example the sharing of revenues from a one day river trekking where 28 percent goes to Green Discovery, 19 percent to the villagers, 27 percent for Community-based Tourism Development Fund, and 20 percent for taxes.

She said it is important that stakeholders know where the distribution of the revenue go.

She cautioned however that tourism could have negative impacts on biodiversity saying uncontrolled or unmanaged tourism could destroy biodiversity.

Among these are hunting of wildlife, collection of corrals/fauna, creating disturbance to wildlife, improper siting and design of buildings in natural areas, absence of solid, liquid waste disposal system.

Incoming search terms:

• old tourism project that has been successfully implemented in philippines
• puerto princesa kayaking sports
• old tourism project
• conclusion about underground river in palawan
• project old tourism in
• other local government units in tourism industry
• promoting local tourism Philippines
• old tourism project that successfully
• puerto princesa underground river invites
• former philippines tourism development plan\old tourism project that has been successully implemented

On its 21st year, 2010 Philippine Travel Mart is organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) in cooperation with the Department of Tourism.

This year’s theme, “Wow I Love Philippines” further boosts PTM’s focus on the “one thousand and one ways to enjoy the beautiful, scenic and exciting Philippines.”

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is a major partner of the Philippine Travel Mart 2010 that will be held on September 3-5 at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

The SBMA Tourism Department said some 12 locators and business establishments and stakeholders in Subic Bay Freeport have joined the SBMA to complete “Team Subic Bay,” participating in various activities the team has prepared for the event.

These establishments are: Treetop Adventure, Courtyard Inn, Subic International Hotel, Vista Marina, Traveler’s Inn and Venezia Hotel & Casino, Bayfront Hotel, Subic Holiday Villas, Forest View, Moonbay Marina Villas, as well as Subic Grand Seasons Resort and Olongapo City – based Wild Orchid Resort.

Team Subic Bay immediately began preparations soon after the memorandum of agreement between SBMA Administrator Armand C. Arreza and PHILTOA President Cesar R. Cruz was signed last month, sealing the partnership for this year’s Philippine Travel Mart.

Subic Bay was proven to be a top draw in last year’s PTM, benefiting tremendously from the annual travel event, which brought in thousands of local and foreign corporate buyers, consumers and other stakeholders in a single venue for travel and tourism.

Participating stakeholders from Subic Bay each raked in sales ranging from P25,000.00 to as high as P3.2 million as a result of Team Subic Bay’s networking activities at the 20th PTM.

Last year’s PTM drew around 180 international buyers from countries like Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hongkong, North America, India, South Africa, Taiwan, China and Singapore.

Arreza said that tourism developments in Subic revolve exactly around what are considered the freeport’s jewels – its unspoiled beaches and virgin tropical forests.

“Our top tourist draws – the Treetop Adventure, Zoobic Safari and Ocean Adventure, to name a few, offer unique adventures which we constantly upgrade by introducing new activities like bird-watching,” Arreza said.

Only recently, Subay Bay has been named by the DOT as one of the country’s official sites for bird-watching, a young but increasingly popular activity among international tourists.

He also said the SBMA has a successful partnership with the PHILTOA, which is the biggest association of tour operators and agencies that exclusively promote domestic and inbound tourism.

A 21-square-meter pavilion showcasing the complete set of Subic attractions will be set up by the SBMA in the exhibit hall of the event.

Activities prepared by Team Subic Bay include an animal show courtesy of Zoobic Safari, production numbers by Teatro Gat-Aitab of Subic Bay’s Mondriaan Aura College and audio-visual presentations, as well as raffle giveaways from participating Subic Bay establishments.

Incoming search terms:

• noynoy aquino exhibits of activities
• subic 2010 blogs
• traveller\s inn subic
• correos family in iloilo
• Traveller’s Inn Subic Olongapo City

Aptly themed “Beyond the Usual Philippines,” the event, organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT), is designed to showcase what is unique to the Philippines.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, who signed a memorandum of agreement with PHILTOA president Cesar Cruz recently, said the SBMA would also be an official partner of the 20th PTM that will be held on September 4-6 at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

Cruz said SBMA’s infusion of fresh ideas in developing eco-tourist sites in Subic provided a classic example of what the industry should do to realize the country’s full tourism potentials.

Cruz cited the SBMA’s “hop-on, hop-off” transport scheme, whereby commuting tourists or “backpackers” can now tour the vast expanse of the Subic Bay Freeport, aboard double-decker buses plying Subic’s scenic route at regular intervals.

“Subic’s novel hop-on, hop-off scheme can be adopted anywhere in the country,” Cruz said.

Cruz also said that the Subic tourist transport system would be featured in tourism seminars during the 20th PTM, which also serve as an avenue for tourism stakeholders and students to discuss emerging trends in the industry.

Cruz further praised SBMA, the agency that administers the Subic Bay Freeport, for constantly adding new dimensions to its positioning as a prime nature hub.

Arreza, meanwhile, said that tourism developments in Subic revolved exactly around what were considered the free port’s jewels— its unspoiled beaches and virgin tropical forests.

“Our top tourist draws — the Treetop Adventure, Jungle Joe’s World, Zoobic Safari, and Ocean Adventure, to name a few, offer unique adventures, which we constantly upgrade by introducing new activities like bird-watching,” said Arreza.

He said that Subic Bay had been named by the DOT as one of the country’s official sites for bird-watching, a young but increasingly popular activity among nature lovers.

“We are also introducing the newest fads in adventure tourism, like wind surfing, kite boarding, sailing, and other water sports. Actually, one can do almost anything in Subic,” said Arreza.

For the upcoming travel mart, Arreza said that SBMA would showcase a complete set of Subic’s attractions at the mall’s 24-sqm pavilion.

The Subic Bay Freeport greatly benefits from the annual travel event, which brings in thousands of local and foreign corporate buyers, consumers and other stakeholders in a single venue for travel and tourism.

Arreza said the travel mart had carved a niche in the international market as a prime venue for Philippine tour packages and other tourism products.

“Last year, 50 foreign buyers went straight to Subic right after visiting the travel mart,” he said.

Arreza also said the SBMA has a successful partnership with the PHILTOA, which is the biggest association of tour operators and agencies that exclusively promote domestic and inbound tourism.

Cruz said the PHILTOA expected about 300 foreign buyers to visit this year’s event.

Incoming search terms:

• subic attractions blog
• subic tour blogs