Show some love! Philippines in the running at World Travel Awards 2024

It is time to show some love for the Philippines once again as the country is in the running to win several categories at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2024.

The Philippines aims to win as the World’s Leading Beach Destination 2024, the World’s Leading Dive Destination 2024, and the World’s Leading Island Destination 2024. The country is defending champion as the World’s Leading Beach and Dive Destination, with awards won last year.

Also, popular tourist destinations across the country are among the nominees in various categories.

The historic walled city of Intramuros is nominated as the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2024, trying to beat 21 nominees from the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, United States, China, Ireland, Vietnam, Peru, Tanzania, Canada, South Africa, India, Japan, Greece, and Australia.

Meanwhile, the Philippines’ capital Manila is defending its title of World’s Leading City Destination for this year, which it won in 2023. It will try to win again over rivals from various cities in Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Hong Kong, United States, Portugal, England, France, Morocco, Australia, Kenya, New Zealand, Ecuador, and Chile.

The world-famous Boracay Island, home to one of the world’s finest powdery white sand, eyes the prize of the World’s Leading Luxury Island 2024. It will compete against Jersey in the United Kingdom, Mustique in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and The Bahamas.

Cebu, a popular destination for heritage with its centuries-old churches and other structures and a haven of natural wonders, will vie for the World’s Leading Wedding Destination 2024 award alongside Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Bali in Indonesia, Barbados, Jamaica, Mauritius, Saint Lucia, and The Bahamas.

Also among the nominees are the Department of Tourism (DOT) as the World’s Leading Tourist Board 2024, and the DOT’s “Love the Philippines” campaign as the World’s Leading Marketing Campaign 2024.

The Department encourages the public to support the Philippines win these awards by logging on to https://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote.

Netizens must create an account to vote for the Philippines in the various categories.

Voting is open until October 20, 2024.

The winners will be declared during the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2024 to be held in Madeira, Portugal on November 24, 2024.

During the award-giving body’s Asia and Oceania Gala Ceremony 2024 held in Parañaque City last September 2024, the Philippines won a total of eight awards.

The Philippines clinched the Asia’s Leading Dive Destination, Asia’s Leading Beach Destination, and Asia’s Leading Island Destination awards for 2024.

Also, Intramuros was recognized as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2024, Boracay as Asia’s Leading Luxury Island Destination 2024, and Cebu as Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination 2024.

In addition, the Love the Philippines campaign bagged Asia’s Leading Marketing Campaign 2024 award, while DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco was honored with the Transformational Leader Award in Tourism Governance.

The Philippines has won in past editions of the World Travel Award, being Asia’s Leading Beach Destination in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024, as well as the World’s Leading Beach Destination in 2022 and 2023.

It is also consistently the best destination for diving in Asia from 2019 to 2024, and the best in the world from 2019 to 2023.

The DOT has won as Asia’s Leading Tourist Board in 2019 and 2020.

Secretary Frasco expressed gratitude to the World Travel Awards – one of the most esteemed award programs in the travel industry that recognizes excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors since 1993 – for recognizing the “breathtaking beauty and rich culture” of the Philippines.

She hopes the winning streak of the country at the World Travel Awards will continue this year.

“The Philippines’ unique attributes are a constant source of pride to every Filipino. I encourage everyone-—both here and abroad—to cast their votes and help us reveal to the world the many things there are to Love the Philippines,” she said.

With a brand new set of nominations for the World Travel Awards 2024, Secretary Frasco encouraged travelers, local and foreign alike, to visit the Philippines as it “can’t wait to welcome travelers from around the world to discover more of what there is to love in our country’s diverse regions.”