Philippines' post-typhoon recovery efforts pay off

THE PHILIPPINES, as recipient of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) New Frontiers Award 2010, will have an even greater presence at ATM 2011.  The scheme, which recognises destinations that make an outstanding contribution to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity, awards the winner with US$10,000 worth of free exhibition space at the following year's show.  Beating Australia and Italy, the Philippines won for its tourism and recovery efforts in the wake of September 2009's devastating typhoon Ketsana, which poured more than a month's worth of monsoon rains onto the country in just a few days.  The country's National Economic and Development Authority put in place a U$$145 million project to rehabilitate infrastructure damaged by the typhoon. The Philippine Department of Tourism also implemented a multifaceted campaign that included the endorsement of 28 new tourism projects worth US$821 million, with an estimated employment capacity of 15,567 once operational.