RP netizens: Tubbataha, Mayon need your votes now
By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 12:46:00 08/14/2008
Filed Under: Travel & Commuting, Tourism & Leisure, Tourism
MANILA, Philippines—Filipino netizens should cast their votes for tourism havens in the Philippines if they want the sites to be included in the New 7 Wonders of Nature, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said.
“The (Department of Tourism) continues to encourage everyone to participate in the survey,” he said.
In an online poll, the placing of four sites in the country has dropped after cornering four of the seven top spots last June.
As of Wednesday, the Tubbataha Reef ranked 8th, Chocolate Hills 9th, Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park 10th and Mayon Volcano 18th.
Popularity contest
Durano has cited the popularity contest as a big opportunity to promote destinations in the country and draw in tourists to meet the target of 5 million visitors in 2010.
“We further appreciate efforts of communities and groups in promoting the nominated destinations to domestic and foreign audiences alike,” he said.
With four sites, the Philippines currently holds the most number of destinations on the top 20 list dominated by developing countries, particularly those in Asia and South America.
Current Top 7
Currently among the top seven are Cox’s Bazaar Beach in Bangladesh; Galapagos Islands in Ecuador; Ganges River in India; Amazon River and Forest shared by Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam; Cappadocia Rock Formation in Turkey; and the Mekong River shared by Cambodia, China, Lao, Thailand, Burma and Vietnam.
Outstanding environment
The New 7 Wonders of Nature is aimed at listing the world’s seven most outstanding natural environments.
The project is being implemented by the New 7 Wonders Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Switzerland, the same group that conducted an online search for the New 7 Wonders of the World last year.
The foundation said the 77 official nominees, topping an initial batch of more than 200, would be eligible for consideration by the New 7 Wonders of Nature panel of experts for inclusion in the group of 21 finalist candidates.
Until Dec. 31
Voting is until Dec. 31 after which the panel will list the 21 finalists, from which another round of online voting would determine the final seven.
In a posting on the foundation’s website, New7Wonders founder and president, Bernard Weber, said age and not population played the biggest part in the previous seven-year search for the world’s greatest man-made structures.
Durano earlier said that local government units, communities and the private sector should consider the survey as a springboard for promoting eco-tourism destinations in the country.
He said tourism authorities and private tourism enterprises could collaborate on adopting earth-friendly business practices, recycling and waste disposal management, educating visitors on responsible tourist behavior and other related activities.
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