MANILA, 9 September 2024: The Philippines took home a hat full of citations at the 31st World Travel Awards Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony hosted in Manila on 3 September.
This is the first time the country has hosted the prestigious travel and tourism awards gala ceremony through the combined efforts of the Department of Tourism and its attached agency, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines.
During the 31st World Travel Awards Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2024 hosted at Manila’s City of Dreams, the Philippines was honoured as Asia’s Leading Dive Destination for the sixth consecutive year since 2019.
It bagged the titles of Asia’s Leading Beach Destination and Asia’s Leading Island Destination.
The historic Walled City of Intramuros was recognised as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction. Boracay nailed the title of Asia’s Leading Luxury Island Destination, and Cebu was declared Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination.
The Philippines also bagged the Asia’s Leading Marketing Campaign 2024 award for the Love the Philippines campaign.
A Transformational Leader Award was presented to DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, recognising the tourism chief for her “outstanding contributions to tourism governance” and vision, tireless dedication, and the tangible impacts of her initiatives have set a new benchmark in tourism leadership, not just in the Philippines but across Asia and Oceania.”
“We have responded to the challenges we have faced with courage and innovation, harnessing the strength of our culture and heritage and turning them into unique, unforgettable experiences. Through diversification, we are now expanding to new horizons, enhancing and expanding our offerings beyond sun, sea, and sand to include wellness and health, adventure, cruise, halal, cultural, and culinary experiences,” the DOT chief commented.
Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards span the globe, with regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.
Manila hosted the gala ceremony, marking the fourth leg of WTA’s Grand Tour 2024, a global search for the finest travel and tourism organisations on six continents.
