 |
| Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines Acting Head for ASEAN and the Pacific Division Micaela B. Ochoa and Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez receiving the 2023 Travel Weekly Asia (TWA) Readers' Choice Award for Best Dive Destination in Asia Pacific for the Philippines (Image Source: Journal Online/Tourism Promotions Board Philippines) |
With its rich marine life, vibrant coral reefs, and continued commitment to conserving and promoting its aquatic ecosystems, the Philippines was hailed as the Best Dive Destination in Asia Pacific at the Travel Weekly Asia (TWA) Readers’ Choice Awards held last October 3, 2023 at Conrad Centennial in Singapore. Hosted by Northstar Travel Group, the awards ceremony annually recognizes hotels, resorts, airlines, destinations, cruise lines, and travel agencies through an online poll of Travel Weekly readers and industry professionals. The finalists and winners are then featured in different Travel Weekly Asia issues where readers can explore more about each destination’s unique sceneries and experiences.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Travel Weekly Asia and its readers for this honor and recognizing the allure of our 7,641 islands. This accolade underscores our commitment to preserving and showcasing the exceptional natural wonders that our country is blessed with, from our wide range of diving destinations that cater to both novice and experienced divers alike, to our equally diverse shorelines and surrounding coral reefs that are home to thousands of marine species,” says Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines’ Chief Operating Officer (COO) Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles. Present during the awarding ceremony were TPB Acting Head for ASEAN and the Pacific Division Micaela B. Ochoa and Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General based in the Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore who also received the honor of behalf of the Philippines.
Northstar Travel Group Asia Vice President and Publisher Irene Chua expressed her thoughts with the awards ceremony’s objective. “Recognizing the travel industry’s finest is not just about honoring their achievements, but fueling their motivation to continue innovating and driving positive change. By celebrating their contributions, we inspire a collective effort towards making the industry more progressive, exciting and outstanding for all involved.” With the country’s glorious beauty and rich mega biodiversity, the Philippines has been receiving back-to-back worldwide recognition including being named World’s Leading Dive Destination as well as Asia’s Leading Dive Destination consistently since 2019 at the World Travel Awards 2023. The country was also recognized as the Best Dive Destination at the Diving and Resort Travel Expo in Malaysia and Taiwan earlier this year.
