The Philippines bagged four major awards at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2023, including the Global Tourism Resilience Award, secured by the country for the first time for demonstrating global leadership, pioneering vision, and innovation to overcome critical challenges and adversity.

The announcement was made by the Department of Tourism on Tuesday, stating that the four major accolades were garnered by the Philippines during the World Travel Awards 2023 awarding ceremony at the iconic Burj Al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, last 1 December, (Dubai time).

"As one of only five countries and destinations in the world cited for the inaugural Global Tourism Resilience Award, the Philippines and other "inaugural winners will serve as benchmarks for best practices in tourism resilience," according to the World Travel Awards.

World's leading city destination

Also, for the first time, the Philippines won the World's Leading City Destination for its capital, Manila.

The DoT further disclosed that the country was once again awarded the World's Leading Dive Destination and World's Leading Beach Destination, defending its 2022 titles.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco expressed immense joy in the country's victories at the World Travel Awards, stating: "We are elated and grateful that Philippine tourism continues to soar to global prominence with tourists declaring their love for the Philippines as the undisputed World's Leading Beach Destination and World's Leading Dive Destination, and now World's Leading City Destination, Manila."

Added Frasco, "Receiving the Global Tourism Resilience Award is also especially meaningful as this is an affirmation of all the hard work done in the past year to strengthen the pillars of tourism development through convergence and collaboration towards the tourism transformation envisioned by our President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. These accolades are as much a source of Filipino pride as they are a testament to the enormous contribution of tourism to the Philippine economy and global standing."