BACOLOD City – For the second consecutive year, Bago City’s sustainable tourism efforts have earned a spot in the Top 100 Green Destinations Stories list.
The accolade shines a light on their initiative titled “Growing a Food Sufficient and Climate Smart Agroecological Destination” that chronicles the city’s endeavors in community empowerment, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, ensuring food sufficiency, preserving the environment, and advancing regenerative tourism.
The Top 100 Green Destinations is a prestigious international platform that celebrates and highlights the most commendable efforts in sustainable tourism development.
At the award ceremony held at the Seaplane Harbour in Tallinn, Estonia on Monday night there (Tuesday morning, Oct. 10, in the Philippines), Bago City’s senior tourism operations officer, Mae Ann Furtos, accepted the award on behalf of Mayor Nicholas Yulo.
Furtos said, “We’re making significant strides towards our vision. We aim for our farms to gain accreditation from the Department of Tourism, empower our farmers, and rejuvenate our rich cultural heritage. We also seek to revive the living traditions in our rural sectors, amplifying the overall tourist experience in Bago City.”
Out of a total of 165 submissions, the city’s initiative stood out, securing its selection. With this recognition, their entry is now in contention for the 2024 Green Destinations Story Awards.
In September 2022, Bago City’’s project, “Reviving the Majestic Diversity of the Bago Watershed”, was also featured in the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories. This initiative clinched third place in the 2023 Green Destinations Story Awards under the Environment and Climate Category.
The accolade was accepted by the city’s sustainability team, led by Yulo and accompanied by his wife, Jeanne Louise, at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse in Berlin, Germany, earlier this year.
Mayor Yulo expressed his gratitude, stating, “It’s an honor to see our city’s efforts recognized on an international platform. Such awards reaffirm our commitment to sustainable tourism development. It’s not just an accolade; it’s a testament to our dedication and a catalyst encouraging us to achieve even more.”
Green Destinations, headquartered in the Netherlands, is at the forefront of evaluating, enhancing, and certifying sustainable tourism endeavors. With a dedicated team of coordinators and program managers, they drive several global initiatives.
The organization prides itself on its expansive global partnership, boasting over 50 representatives that include sustainable tourism experts, consultancies, and nonprofit entities./PN
