Professional, industry associations earn Kalakbay Award for promoting tourism

A professional organization and an industry association have earned the prestigious Kalakbay Award for successfully helping boost the country’s tourism even amid the slump caused by the Mindanao conflict and the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the US.

Winning this year’s Kalakbay Award for Event of the Year are the 12th ASEAN Congress of Anesthesiologists (12th ACA) of the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists (PSA) and the Franchise Asia 2001 of the Philippine Franchise Asssociation (PFA).

The PSA bagged the 2003’s Kalakbay Award under the Convention category and the PFA under the Exhibition.

In organizing the 12th ACA for its staging at the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort in Cebu on Nov. 12-17, 2001, the PSA had to hurdle all negative travel advisories and security concern of both local and foreign participants by communicating personally with them, securing a strong endorsement from the Confederation of ASEAN Societies of Anesthesiologists (CASA), and gaining the participation of an international array of prominent speakers led by World Federation of Anesthesiologists president Dr. TC Kester Brown, who also helped out in promoting the event.

Moreover, the PSA had to embark on a promotional trip to Kuala Lumpur during the 11th ACA to invite its nine member-societies using various merchandising collaterals, including a video presentation on the Philippines and even a dance presentation and a santacruzan at the fellowship night.

During this trip, the PSA delegates were able to stir the interests and enthusiasm of the ASEAN members to come, not to Manila, but to the island of Cebu. Two previous ACA meetings hosted by the PSA were both held in Manila.

Similar promotional trip was subsequently undertaken in Hong Kong. Promotional activities were also conducted in Boracay during the PSA’s Mid-Year Refresher Course Meeting.

And for the first time, three international organizations of anesthesia subspecialties – cardiac, pediatric, and obstetric anesthesia – convened pre-congress events simultaneously. These events enhanced the attendance of the 12th ACA.

Furthermore, the ACA included in the 12th ACA’s programed activities several visits to historical sites, tourist destinations and shopping hubs while promoting native products. Tourist spots like the Maribago Bluewaters Resort, Alegrado Island, and the Watefront Hotel – Cebu City served as venues for their special activities.

All in all, the congress gained a total of 859 participants, 193 of whom came from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Bahrain, Iran, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, and even the United States.

They all came to realize the peace and beauty of the Philippines, practically belying all the negative travel advisories and other adverse reports from the local and international media.

Each of these 193 foreign delegates approximately spent an average of R68,000 or a total of more than R13 million during their stay.

Likewise, the PSA generated a net income of almost R6 million out of gross receipts of almost R12 million from registration fees, exhibits, and sponsorships from pharmaceutical firms.

Yet, it all happened when global travel was plummeting to all-time lows and the hotel occupancy all over the Philippines, particularly in Davao and Cebu, was plunging to almost single-digit rates.

Almost the same feat was achieved by the PFA’s Franchise Asia 2001, which attracted 104 local and foreign exhibitors and generated a net income of almost R2 million out of gross receipts of R5.5 million.