CLARK, Philippines – This year’s World Travel Awards (WTA) Ceremony will be held in the Philippines for the first time, which is a huge accomplishment for the nation’s tourism and travel industry.
At a press conference for the MICECON 2024, held in Clark, Pampanga on July 11, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco stated, “We’re excited to announce that the Philippines will be hosting the World Travel Awards.”
The World Travel awards (WTA) is a London-based organization that was founded in 1993 and is commonly referred to as the “Oscars” of the travel industry. It celebrates excellence in travel and tourism across three tiers: national, regional, and international prizes in numerous categories.
This year, on September 3, the WTA will have a red-carpet celebration at the City of Dreams Luxury Resort in Entertainment City, Parañaque, Manila, where notable members of the travel and tourism sector are invited.
Graham Cooke, the founder of the WTA, highlighted the Philippines’ achievements in the tourism industry and expressed his gratitude for the WTA’s inaugural hosting of the competition there. Travel industry professionals from Asia and Oceania should come visit Manila, “one of the most exciting emerging destinations in Asia,” Cooke added.
According to Secretary Frasco, the Philippines’ confidence as a top travel and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) destination is demonstrated by its hosting of the WTA. She also spoke on how well the United Nations Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific was held in Cebu recently, drawing in about 600 people from throughout the globe.
WTA gala ceremonies are well known for providing outstanding opportunities for networking in the travel industry, drawing notables, worldwide media, and leaders from the government and business worlds.
The Philippines is competing for seven trophies in the Asian category, including:
- Asia’s Leading Beach Destination
- Asia’s Leading Dive Destination
- Asia’s Leading Island Destination
- Intramuros – Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction
- Boracay – Asia’s Leading Luxury Island Destination
- Cebu – Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination
- The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) – Asia’s Leading Tourist Board
Frasco expressed his gratitude to the WTA for giving the Philippines’ varied tourism products a platform by accepting these nominations. “Achieving these distinctions not only gives honor but also generates employment prospects for millions of Filipinos who rely on tourism.” “Our goal is to both maintain and exceed our past successes in order to guarantee continued expansion of the nation’s tourism industry,” she declared in January.
Regional ceremonies for the 2024 WTA Grand Tour will also take place in Berlin, Germany; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; and Diani Beach, Kenya. The prestigious World category winners will be revealed at year’s end, with the victors of these regional competitions moving on to the Grand Final in Madeira, Portugal.
