The New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure (T+L) has named Boracay, Palawan and Cebu as three among “The 25 Best Islands in the World.” The Department of Tourism (DOT) has lauded the honors granted to the country’s three tourism island destinations.
Boracay with its postcard-perfect sunset ranked 9th in T+L World’s Best Island list, followed by Palawan at 11th with a photo of the idyllic El Nido lagoon, and Cebu at 16th with the Taoist Temple in its photo.
T+L said readers were asked to “weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated islands based on their activities and sights, natural attractions and beaches, food, friendliness, and overall value.”
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the Philippines “is truly blessed with the unrivaled beauty of our natural resources coupled by the warmth and endless talent of the Filipinos manifested in this citation of Travel + Leisure that included our Cebu, Palawan, and Boracay in their prestigious list,”
Boracay and Palawan also topped T+L’s 5 Best Islands in Asia alongside Phuket in Thailand, Bali in Indonesia, and The Maldives.
“Travel + Leisure readers fondly recalled pre-Covid-era visits to the best islands in Asia. Now that the region is reopening, they’re surely eager to return to these five ports of call, including the islands of the Maldives, as well as those found in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines,” T+L said.
“We express our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to all tourism stakeholders from the public and private sector, the national and local government units, the efforts of the previous administration included, and all the hardworking employees and officials of the Department across the country for forging forward amidst the challenges of the pandemic and contributing in their own ways so our country may earn the title as one of the most beautiful in the world. The natural beauty of a country can truly shine through when we are united in heralding our best qualities,” Frasco added.
Lifestyle travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) also currently lists the Philippines concurrently among “The 40 Most Beautiful Countries in the World,” together with Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States of America.
In a related development, TimeOut.com also ranks Manila among the top cities in the world. The ranking was based on a survey among city-dwellers worldwide.
The choice is a result of several criteria that include aspects like walkability, good public transport, safety, and sustainability other than a thriving nightlife, amazing food and drink, and art and culture.
“May this global recognition of the beauty of our natural resources inspire our efforts to raise the Philippines’ standing in the tourism industry by introducing tourism infrastructure development and improvements to enhance connectivity and convenience in reaching our destinations,” Frasco enthused.