MSN: Philippine named best beach, dive, island destination in Asia

The Philippines and some of its tourist destinations have been honored by a global award-winning body and a leading Western travel magazine.

The country took home six awards during the Asia and Oceania Gala Ceremony organized by the World Travel Awards (WTA) in Hong Kong on Monday, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The Philippines was named Asia’s leading beach, dive and island destination for the eighth, seventh and second time, respectively.

Boracay was again named Asia’s leading luxury island destination.

The DOT was honored as Asia’s leading tourist board, while the Clark Freeport Zone was recognized as the leading meeting and conference destination in the region.

The awards reaffirmed the country’s place among the world’s premier destinations as well as honored people in the local tourism sector including the guides, hospitality workers, weavers and boatmen, according to Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco.

With the awards, the Philippines may automatically be nominated in the same categories during the WTA’s global edition this year.

Meanwhile, global travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler named three island destinations in the Philippines as among Asia’s top islands.

The magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards named Boracay as fourth best island destination in Asia, while Palawan and Siargao placed fifth and seventh, respectively.

The Philippines was also named best dive destination in Asia during the Travel Week Asia Readers’ Choice Awards 2025 held in Singapore on Oct. 7

It was the third consecutive time for the Philippines to receive the award from Travel Week.

Ambassador Medardo Macaraig received the award in behalf of the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board during the ceremony held at Paradox Singapore Merchant Court.