Travel newspaper honors Gordon

Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon will lead the list of tourism "stars" in the Asian region who will be honored today in Bangkok, Thailand by TTG Asia, the most established regional travel trade newspaper, for their remarkable contributions in helping the tourism industry at the height of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis this year.

Gordon, who is also chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, has been recognized by TTG Asia for his leadership in advocating the responsible issuance of travel advisories by developed countries on Asian countries during the SARS crisis.

TTG Asia media managing director Darren Ng acknowledged that the biggest heroes of SARS are those who battled at the frontlines and risked their own lives in order to save lives. "But we will not let the remarkable individuals and organizations of our own industry go unnoticed, for they inspire and provide us with hope and confidence for the future," he said.

At the height of the crisis, Gordon called for cooperation among Asian nations with respect to health protocols and joint marketing and promotions campaigns. "It was important for the region to avoid stigmatization and restore confidence quickly," Gordon said.