The Philippines continues to cement its place among the world’s premier travel destinations, earning nine global nominations at the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards (WTA)—a recognition that underscores the country’s growing influence on the international tourism stage.
After a strong performance in the Asia-level awards, the Philippines now vies for top honors in nine global categories: three national awards, five destination-specific recognitions, and one for the Department of Tourism (DOT) as the world’s leading tourism organization.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco hailed the nominations as both a celebration of Filipino excellence and a reminder of the collective effort needed to sustain it.
“Tourism continues to bring good news for the Philippines—not only through global recognition but through the livelihoods and opportunities it creates for millions of Filipinos,” Frasco said. “These nominations reflect the warmth, resilience, and creativity of our people, and the world’s enduring confidence in the Philippines as a destination of beauty, joy, and hope.”
Frasco added that the DOT views these honors as motivation to continue improving tourism infrastructure, accessibility, and sustainability in partnership with other government agencies. “We invite everyone to rally behind our country, vote for the Philippines, and take pride in this moment of good news for our nation,” she said.
Among the country-level categories, the Philippines aims for a seventh title as World’s Leading Dive Destination 2025, seeks to reclaim the World’s Leading Beach Destination 2025 title it held in 2022 and 2023, and competes for World’s Leading Island Destination 2025.
Manila is nominated as World’s Leading City Destination 2025, while Intramuros returns to the global stage as a finalist for World’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2025.
Other destinations in the running include Boracay for World’s Leading Luxury Island Destination 2025, Cebu for World’s Leading Wedding Destination 2025, and Clark Freeport Zone—recognized for its expanding MICE infrastructure—for World’s Leading Meeting & Conference Destination 2025.
Meanwhile, the DOT itself is nominated for World’s Leading Tourist Board 2025, highlighting its efforts to promote inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive tourism.
Further strengthening the Philippines’ global presence, 16 private tourism establishments from across the country have also received nominations in various international categories.
Voting for the final round of the 32nd World Travel Awards is open until October 26, 2025. Support the Philippines by casting your vote at www.worldtravelawards.com/vote.