White Beach (San Isidro), Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, during Semana Santa 2022 (picture: Dimitri)

THE Department of Tourism (DoT) in Mimaropa recently honored the region's industry stakeholders at its annual Appreciation and Recognition Day.

The first full physical awarding in the past three years aimed to celebrate the resiliency of tourism players and their quest for excellence even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event, themed "The Winner Takes It All," recognized the public and private stakeholders for their support of the DoT's programs and for maintaining the tourism quality standards.

The Mimaropa Region is composed of the island provinces of Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan, which are known for lush terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and a host of natural wonders.

Topping the roster of awardees were Banwa Private Island and Amanpulo, which won second and third runners-up in the Private Island of the Year of The Destination Deluxe Awards 2021.

This year, Banwa bagged the top spot in the same award, while Amanpulo clinched Asia's Leading Private Island Resort of the World Travel Awards.

Palawan added another feather to its cap with its new "Most Desirable Island" award from the United Kingdom-based Wanderlust Travel Magazine.

The DoT also recognized the local government units with the most number of accredited enterprises, topped by El Nido, Puerto Princesa City, Coron, Puerto Galera, and Calapan City, which ranked first to fifth, respectively.

On the international scene, Apo Reef Natural Park in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro was accorded the Platinum-Level Blue Park Award by Marine Conservation International at the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

A leading dive site and the country's biggest contiguous coral reef, Apo Reef bagged the prestigious accolade with the support of the provincial government headed by Gov. Eduardo Gadiano.

Other global honorees were Agritektura Enterprises in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, the First Filipino Awardee of the Top 10 Under 40 Hatchery Experts of the Canada-based Hatchery International, and Coron Natural Farms as Q Asia Magazine's Best Integrated Organic Agricultural Farming Destination.

Moreover, Club Paradise in Coron placed second in the 2022 Green Destination Story Awards which is recognized at the prestigious ITB Berlin.

Meanwhile, the Municipality of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro raked top honors from the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines, which include Grand Winner for Best Program on Culture and the Arts and second placer for Best Tourism-Oriented LGU, and Ann Roxanne de Vera who was named as the group's Most Outstanding Tourism Officer.

Sunset Beach Resort in San Vicente, Palawan and Utopia Resort and Spa in Puerto Galera were also recognized for their person with disability-friendly facilities which support the DoT's Barrier-Free Tourism advocacy.

Likewise cited was the municipal government of San Vicente for significantly increasing the number of accredited establishments in the past two years.