Iloilo City bags ‘Best Tourism Practice’ plum in ATOP’S 2021 Pearl Awards

Iloilo City was named grand winner in the prestigious Pearl Awards 2021 of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) during its awarding ceremonies on Dec 12, 2021 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

The city bested other local government units (LGUs) in the country with its “Dinagyang 360: Going Digital and Global Amidst the Pandemic” which was adjudged as the Best Tourism Practice in the Pearl Awards.

City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia received the award Sunday evening.

The prestigious Tourism Pearl Awards program conducted annually by ATOP aims to recognize local governments who have exceptional tourism practices, projects, and innovations.

Mayor Jerry Treñas expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the Dinagyang 2021, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) following the huge achievement of Iloilo City.

“Last Dinagyang, we shook the world as we showcased our innovation to share our strong faith with Señor Sto. Niño. We are very grateful that we got the Best Tourism Practice During the Pandemic recognition for Dinagyang Digital 2021. I am very grateful to Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. and partner agencies to make this glorious event possible,” Treñas said in a statement on Monday.

The mayor also recognized former IFFI President Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida who made innovations to the world-famous festival despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. He shared that he is also excited with the staging of Dinagyang Festival under the leadership of Dr. Ronald Sebastian.

“Iloilo Dinagyang Digital 2021 has made waves of positivity as Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. with the leadership of Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida made innovations to showcase our devotion to Señor Sto. Niño. We are very excited for another international showcase of faith next year with IFFI and the leadership of Ronald Sebastian,” he said.

This year’s 53rd Dinagyang Festival was extraordinary as the world-class festival was transformed into an online visual spectacle due to the restrictions of Covid-19 pandemic.

From the usual judging areas in the streets of Iloilo City, performances of Dinagyang warriors were pre-recorded and were streamed through the different platforms on social media.

Despite this, the festival managed to highlight the Ilonggos’ devotion to Señor Sto. Niño amid the pandemic while highlighting the sceneries, landmarks, and the tourist spots in the seven districts of Iloilo City. (ERS)