Dr. Mina Gabor is Chairman/President of the International School of Sustainable Tourism. She previously served for 18 years in Philippine government, including serving under four Philippine Presidents, either as Secretary of Tourism and Undersecretary of Trade. She is also remembered for establishing the Center for International Trade Expositions and Mission (CITEM), the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and she opened up domestic tourism with the now famous slogan "Huwag maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan" (Don't be a stranger in Your Own Country). In recent years she has worked primarily in the business sector and as Honorary Consul to the Republic of Maldives. She is regarded as one of the important lecturers and resource person for trade (especially in export marketing) and agribusiness and in all aspect of tourism especially sustainable tourism.
She has served as a consultant to numerous Philippine and international organizations like the United Nations Trade Center, the International Finance Center of the World Bank, the UN World Tourism Organization, the Asian Productivity Organization in Japan, Marketing Consultant to Clark International Airport Corporation. She recently founded the International School of Sustainable Tourism based in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, a school for trainers both for foreign and local students, faculty members and those involved in the tourism business.
Within her own country and in her travels to various other countries she actively advocates an approach to tourism and eco-tourism that she calls "community-based rural tourism." A writer, designer, broadcast journalist, painter, lecturer, negotiator, product merchandiser, everyone's mother, a leader and according to Dr. Gabor, the best of all is that she is a Filipina.
