by Jun Marcos Tadios, MB
Palawan was hailed as the Most Desirable Island in the world at the recently concluded 21st Wanderlust Travel Awards in the United Kingdom (UK), the Department of Tourism (DOT) disclosed on Thursday, Nov. 10.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the new recognition of Palawan reflects the beauty and competitiveness of the Philippines in word spectacle.
The award was given on Wednesday, Nov. 9, by the prestigious Wanderlust travel magazine.
Cebu was also nominated this year as the Most Desirable Region (Rest of the World) by the award-giving body.
“On behalf of the Department of Tourism, we thank the readers of Wanderlust Magazine for their love and support for the Philippines!” said Frasco, adding, “The recognition reflects the effort of the government to revive the tourism industry.”
Frasco vowed that the DOT and its attached agencies would continue to herald the beauty and rich culture of the Filipino people.
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“Rest assured that we will continue with our mission to herald the Philippines and the Filipino brand to the world and to ensure the continued sustainability of our islands,” she noted.
The Philippine Tourism Board, through the Philippine Department of Tourism-Central Visayas Office, also placed 6th among hundreds of entries in the Wanderlust Sustainability Initiative Category for its Dive7 Program.
Earlier this year, Conde Nast Travel (CNT) also named the Philippines among the 40 most beautiful countries worldwide, specifically citing the remarkable cave system of the Puerto Princesa Underground River, the mysteriously uniform Chocolate Hills of Bohol, and the panoramic views of the Banaue and Cordilleras Rice Terraces.
The following month, the renowned Travel + Leisure magazine also named the country’s tourist magnets Boracay, Palawan, and Cebu part of the 25 Best Islands in the World.
Time Magazine also lauded Boracay as one of the 50 World’s Greatest Places of 2022.
In September, the Philippines topped Asia’s leading dive, and beach destination, while the historic Walled City of Intramuros was Asia’s leading tourist attraction at the World Travel Awards (WTA) in Vietnam.
The series of awards added to the country’s long list of recognitions earned at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
