Philippines is World's Leading Dive Destination, according to World Travel Awards 2020

Philippines' dive sites is the World's Leading Dive Destination according to the 2020 World Travel Awards. 

According to a statement from the Department of Tourism Philippines statement, this is the Philippines' second time to win the World's Leading Dive Destination, after it was first recognized in 2019.

The Philippines, home to world-renowned dive sites such as the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan, Apo Reef Natural Park in Mindoro, and Apo Island in Dumaguete sites bested eight other dive destinations including Bora Bora, French Polynesia, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Galapagos Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Maldives, and Mexico.

DOT recognized the country's dive tourism as " one of the key areas for positive industry growth, including increased visitor count, extended length of stay, and higher tourism revenue."

Earlier this month, the Philippines was also hailed as Asia's leading beach and leading dive destination at the World Travel Awards 2020.

And as though that's not enough, Intramuros was also recognized as the World's Leading Tourist Attraction. 

A first for Manila's famed Walled City, it won against 15 other tourist spots including  Acropolis of Greece, Burj Khalifa of Dubai, the Grand Canyon National Park of USA, Mount Kilimanjaro of Tanzania, and Taj Mahal of India, among others.

Meanwhile, the Intramuros Administration restored the walled city with "extensive renovations such as bright capiz lamps installed in monuments and trees, colorful murals, and new sites, such as the dungeon and cleaned-up and fortified military structures, as a tribute to the country’s historic Hispanic period."

The World Travel Awards was founded in 1993 and it has been recognizing brands and organizations worldwide from the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries through its annual Grand Tour, a series of six regional gala ceremonies held in each continent. Each year is capped off with a Grand Final Gala. 

Congratulations to us! — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News