The Philippines amassed 17 recognitions at the recently concluded 31st World Travel Awards (WTA) Asia & Oceania 2024 held on September 3 at The City of Dreams Manila in Parañaque City.
Key figureheads of the tourism and hospitality sectors from Asia and Oceania gathered in Manila for the red carpet reception of the gala ceremony to honor the travel companies that are leading the way in excellence and innovation. The gala affair marked the fourth leg of WTA’s Grand Tour 2024, a global search for the finest travel and tourism organizations covering six continents.
Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco received the prestigious Transformational Leader Award in Tourism Governance, in recognition of her exceptional efforts in promoting sustainable tourism and elevating the Philippines’ stature as a premier travel choice in Asia.
For the first time, Philippines won the titles — Asia’s Leading Island Destination, with Boracay named Asia’s Leading Luxury Island Destination, and Cebu awarded Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination. The nation’s “Love the Philippines” campaign also emerged victorious, being named Asia’s Leading Marketing Campaign 2024.
In the hospitality sector, The Ascott Limited had a dual cause for celebration securing the title of Asia’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand and seeing its Ascott Makati property honored as Asia’s Leading Serviced Apartments. Meanwhile, the prestigious Asia’s Leading Hotel Residences accolade was awarded to Raffles Hotel Makati. Admiral Hotel Manila – MGallery was recognized as Asia’s Leading Design Hotel, and Discovery Primea earned the distinction of Asia’s Leading Business Hotel. Vivere Azure was celebrated as Asia’s Leading Boutique Beach Resort, while Atmosphere Resorts & Spa claimed the title of Asia’s Leading Dive Resort.
In a repeat of past successes, the World Travel Awards once again honored City of Dreams Manila as Asia’s Leading Casino Resort, Amanpulo as Asia’s Leading Private Island Resort, and El Nido Resorts – Apulit Island for Asia’s Leading Sustainable Resort, recognizing their continued excellence in their respective categories.
For the Country Awards, key sectors such as tourism, travel, and hospitality were recognized for their excellence in their respective fields. The following properties and entities were awarded:
The Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board, proudly hosted the gala ceremony, a significant milestone for the country’s prominence on the global tourism stage, reinforcing its status as a world-class destination.
“It has been a privilege to hold our first ceremony in the Philippines – a celebration that has served as a fitting showcase for this incredible destination and its historic capital Manila,” said Graham Cooke, Founder, WTA.
Hosting the WTA Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony is seen as a key achievement in the Philippine tourism sector’s journey, as the country continues to attract international attention for its natural beauty, cultural heritage, and warm hospitality.
“Today, the Philippines stands ready to host global events of all scales while maintaining our local charm and authenticity. We are a nation that rises to challenges, innovates with passion, and embraces every opportunity with optimism, exerting every effort towards our country becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia. This year’s World Travel Awards is not only a celebration of excellence in tourism, but a testament to the resilience, creativity, and collaborative spirit of our global tourism community,” said DOT Secretary, Christina Garcia Frasco.
Regional winners at the VIP reception included Vietnam, which took the title for ‘Asia’s Leading Destination’. Ho Chi Minh City collected ‘Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination’. Hong Kong Tourism Board took to the podium as ‘Asia’s Leading Tourist Board’.
New Zealand confirmed its reputation as the land with it all to secure ‘Oceania’s Leading Destination’. Sydney won ‘Oceania’s Leading City Destination’. Fiji Tourism lifted the trophy for ‘Oceania’s Leading Tourist Board’. The fusion of ancient storytelling with a technological twist helped Wintjiri Wiru – Ayers Rock Resort, Uluṟu to win the title for ‘Oceania’s Leading Tourist Attraction’.
Aviation winners included Singapore Airlines taking ‘Asia’s Leading Airline’ and Air New Zealand winning ‘Oceania’s Leading Airline’. Hong Kong Airport was voted ‘Asia’s Leading Airport’. AirAsia took double honours, landing both ‘Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline’ and ‘Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew’. Qantas Airways claimed the title for ‘Oceania’s Leading Airline Brand’.
Cooke added that, “Our winners are stellar examples of tourism excellence, and I congratulate each and every one for helping to raise the collective benchmark across Asia and Oceania.”
Find the full list of winners on the official WTA website.