Christina Frasco named world tourism icon of the year

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Recently, Christina Frasco, the Tourism Secretary of Cebuana, was honored with the title of “World Tourism Icon of the Year” by the Global Tourism Business Association (GTBA). The organization acknowledged her “invaluable contribution” to the recovery and continuous growth of the country’s tourism sector.

The GTBA praised Frasco for her relentless efforts in showcasing the best of the Philippines to the world. According to the group, she has set a new standard for excellence in the global tourism landscape. The accolade presented to Frasco serves as a token of deep appreciation for her extraordinary contributions to the tourism industry, aiming to stand as a testament to the positive impact she has made and to inspire future generations.

During her keynote address, Frasco emphasized the transformative force of tourism, highlighting its role in uplifting the lives of Filipino families. She expressed a commitment to true transformation and stressed the pivotal collaboration between the private tourism industry and the government in achieving unprecedented goals in the sector.

Frasco credited the crucial support from the Marcos Administration for helping her office achieve its targets. She also commended the GTBA for its efforts in rallying the private sector and championing Philippine Tourism globally. Frasco recognized the organization’s conscious efforts to collaborate with embassies worldwide, ensuring that joint initiatives in tourism mutually benefit economies.

At the event, Frasco led the induction of the new set of officers of the GTBA, a non-profit national tourism organization founded in August 2018. The GTBA focuses on organizing networking events and providing training and advocacy services to encourage responsible tourism and holistic growth in the travel and tourism sectors.

In terms of achievements, the Department of Tourism (DOT) exceeded its target foreign arrival figures for 2023 by registering 4,822,530 visitors as of Nov. 27. Foreign tourists accounted for the majority (91.88%), with South Korea leading as the top visitor, followed by the United States of America, Japan, China, and Australia.

Besides Frasco, the GTBA also recognized Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa Abubakar as the “Outstanding Tourism Official of the Year” and NCR Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin as the “Outstanding Tourism Officer of the Year.”

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