Capitol eco-tourism consultant Boboi Costas receives the InSPIRE award on behalf of the Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association made up of fishing village residents. (PHOTO FROM THE ORIENTAL LEGAZPI)
THE Bojo Aloguinsan Eco-Tourism Association which operates the popular Aloguinsan river cruise in midwest Cebu received this year’s Tourism InSPIRE Award for Best Community-based Tourism Initiative from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
In award rites last night in Albay province, Boboi Costas, who helped develop the pioneer project six years ago with then Aloguinsan Vice Mayor Cynthia Moreno, received the award before “an audience of more than 500 tourism professionals, advocates, and officials of the 26 member country- PATA and United Nations Environment Programme in a red-themed ceremony.”
“Had goosebumps when the announcement was greeted with the wildest cheers from the crowd,” said Costas in his Facebook post. Runners up were Thailand and Vietnam. El Nido from Palawan, Philippines also won Best Branded Accommodation. The awards are given to tourism destinations with excellent sustainable environmental, economic and social impacts,” he said.