Kawil Tours hits goal crowdfunding campaign

After almost a month since launching their crowdfunding campaign with The Spark Project, Kawil Tours successfully hit their target of raising Php300,000 which will be used to acquire their own tourist boat. The target was hit last July 16, 2013, 14 days before the campaign ends.

Kawil Tours reached their fundraising target after almost a month and with 14 days left for the campaign.

Aside from donations which came from individual backers, the funds received huge boosts from 2 organizations and a generous couple. Days earlier, Kawil Tours presented to the Rotary Club of Makati East. Last July 15, 2013, Kawil Tours also met with the President of St. Michael's College of Laguna.

In this photo from L-R: Kawil Tours Co-Founder Jun Tibi, mentor and advocate Xavier Alpasa SJ, St. Michael's College of Laguna President Lourdes Almeda Sese, and Golden Z Club Committee Chairman Lia Bautista.

The generous donation was raised through the Z Club and Golden Z Club of St. Michael's College of Laguna.

With the availability of fund, Kawil Tours will now be able to fully acquire this tourist boat from Culion. This will be designed according to the requirements of Kawil Tours and will also be painted with its Kawil livery.

The Kawil boat (M/Bca Kawil) docked in Culion. 

Since the crowdfunding campaign still has around 2 weeks left (ending on July 30, 2013), any amount raised on top of the target will be used to acquire tour paraphernalia which includes life vests, snorkeling gears (mask & snorkel, fins & booties), and safety gears (life rings, buoys, and ropes). Rewards will also be provided to backers.

Kawil Tours will also be having a Thanksgiving Mass on July 29, 2013, 7pm, at Calungsod Hall, Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University. A short program will follow after the mass. All the Spark Project backers, Kawil Tours supporters, and Isla Culion advocates are invited to the activity. (Link to Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/426176284162852/).

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Kawil Tours presents to Rotary Club of Makati East

Through the invitation of Atty. Giancarlo Puyo, Kawil Tours presented during the monthly meeting of Rotary Club of Makati East held at the New World Makati Hotel last July 12, 2013. Kawil Tours was represented by its Manila-based Co-Founders Guido Sarreal and Jun Tibi and together with mentor and advocate Fr. Xavier Alpasa, SJ.

The presentation introduced Kawil Tours' crowdfunding project wherein the group is raising money to acquire its own tourist boat. The group also shared some background about Culion and the current tourism environment in the area.

Fr. Xavier Alpasa, SJ shows a video clip of Kawil Tours Co-Founders Elee Mar Bulotano (L) and Renlee Cubelo (R).

As an act of support to Kawil Tours and its mission of re-connecting the island to the world through tourism, the club contributed a generous amount to Kawil Tours for its boat project. The donation trimmed the remaining amount to be raised down to Php50,000 with 18 days left for the crowdfunding campaign. Please click this link to visit the crowdfunding website.

The President of Rotary Club of Makati East (1st from L) presenting donation check to Kawil Tours represented by Jun Tibi (2nd from L), Guido Sarreal (3rd from L) and Fr. Xavier Alpasa, SJ (R).

Atty. Puyo was among the pioneer group that went to Culion for an Easter Retreat last 2010 through the invitation of Fr. Alpasa. The latter was assigned in Culion for 2 years as part of his missionary work. Back then, tourism activities in Culion was on its early stage and visitors were mainly composed of friends and relatives of the volunteer workers who joined Fr. Alpasa's missionary work.

Seated from L-R are Kara Santos, Fr. Xavier Alpasa, SJ, Jun Tibi, and Guido Sarreal. Standing on the rightmost part is Atty. Giancarlo Puyo.

Also invited during the event was travel blogger, freelance writer and photographer Kara Santos. Her blogsite is Travel Up.

Kawil Tours crowdfunding campaign for a tourist boat

Since its founding last mid-2011, Kawil Tours relied on rented boats to operate trips. Though favorable rates - quite below the standard rates for tourist boats in the area - were always offered by partner boat operators, the lack of its own tourist boat still greatly affected Kawil Tours.

Renting tour boats from Culion boat owners/operators is favorable since these boat owners primarily rely on boat rentals from the more progressive Coron and where competition is very tight. However, Kawil Tours decided to take steps in acquiring its own tourist boat.

As stated by Renlee Cubelo, one of the group's co-founders, having no boat of its own limits Kawil Tours' flexibility in operating its tours and particularly in embarking on exploratory trips to look for new travel destinations in Culion. In terms of tour operating costs, about 30% of it goes to boat rentals.

Last June 2013, Kawil Tours launched its fundraising project with The Spark Project, a local organization that offers online crowdfunding platform for Filipino start-ups seeking ways to fund their projects. Kawil Tours hopes to raise Php300,000 within the 45-day campaign period (ending on July 30, 2013) in order to acquire its own tourist boat. Watch this video for a background of the project:



As of July 11, 2013, the project already raised Php220,100.00 with 20 days left for the campaign. With this,  Kawil Tours is seeking for support from everyone who could contribute to its Spark Project. Every single peso that will be shared will go a long way. More than the boat itself, every trip that Kawil Tours will soon operate using its own boat will serve as a reminder that its mission of re-connecting Isla Culion to the world through tourism is a noble endeavor made evident by all the people that contributed to the project.

Spark Project screenshot.

With your help, Kawil Tours will be able to fully fulfill its objective of bringing more travelers to Isla Culion. More travelers mean more local economic activities for the community which could result to more opportunities for socio-economic development. Guided by the principles of responsible travel, Kawil Tours aims to promote the much needed inclusive growth through tourism.

To contribute to the project, please click this link. The Spark Project's website accepts donations made through credit cards. Bank deposits are also accepted.

Project donors, or backers, will also receive rewards as Kawil Tours' way of expressing its deepest gratitude and appreciation.

Culion Advent Retreat on December 6-9, 2013

Here's something that would make your year-end a meaningful one. Kawil Tours is organizing the Culion Advent Retreat on December 6-9, 2013. The retreat will be a venue for travelers to quiet down in time for the Advent season and end the year by embarking on a meaningful journey by re-connecting with one's spirituality, appreciating nature at its finest, and celebrating with a local community.

As we await CHRIST-mas, can we take time to out to remember our dreams, gifts and realities?

This 4D3N trip will offer traveler-retreatants a unique experience of spending their 1st two nights in Hotel Maya and the last on a private island. To add color to the experience, the retreat is also scheduled in time for Culion's town fiesta on December 8, 2013 in honor of the Immaculate Conception. The traveler-retreatants will have the chance to experience the fiesta by joining the mass and procession (which ends with a fluvial procession around Culion Bay) and the traditional kainang-bayan. 

Aside from retreat sessions and activities, traveler-retreatants will also have the chance to tour around Culion town proper and visit the famed Crowning Glory Reef.

All these activities combined, the trip will offer traveler-retreatants the rare opportunity of quieting down to commune with their personal divine, embrace the beauty of nature, celebrate with a blessed community, and enjoy Palawan's "sand, sea, and sun."

The retreat will be run by the Heroic Leadership Philippines, a local company that offers a comprehensive, spirituality-driven, and values-based proprietary leadership program. This program is based on the groundbreaking book of the same title by Chris Lowney and culls lessons from a 450-year old company that changed the world.

Stay not just in a retreat house but on a retreat island.

There are limited slots for the Culion Advent Retreat 2013. Because of this, reservations should be confirmed within a specific period.

As of August 8, 2013, there are >10 slots left for the trip.

Join the Culion Advent Retreat 2013 where you will stay not just in a retreat house but on a retreat island. Visit Isla Culion, a meaningful journey awaits you here!

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