The Philippines didn’t just make a splash at the 2025 World Travel Awards Grand Final in Bahrain—it delivered a full seven-wave set and rode each one like a country that knows exactly what it is doing.
For the seventh straight year, the archipelago clinched the crown as the World’s Leading Dive Destination 2025, proving that when it comes to underwater glory, the Philippines is less “dark horse” and more “certified apex predator.” The Department of Tourism announced the victory on December 6, sealing the nation’s status as the aquatic heavyweight to beat.
And because good things apparently travel in threes, the Philippines didn’t stop there. Manila pulled off a three-peat as the World’s Leading City Destination, while Boracay flexed its shoreline supremacy with a back-to-back win as the World’s Leading Luxury Island Destination 2025.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco summed it up perfectly: These awards prove the country’s strength across the spectrum—from underwater wonderlands and cultural capitals to islands that practically define the word “luxury.”
Wave One: Diving Dominance
To secure its seventh title, the Philippines outperformed an intimidating lineup of global greats—the Azores, Belize, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Fiji, the Galapagos, the Great Barrier Reef, Mexico, Seychelles, St. Kitts, and the Islands of Tahiti. Consider it the tourism equivalent of knocking out a dozen world champions in one round.
Beyond bragging rights, the win shines a spotlight on the often-unsung heroes powering the country’s dive scene: the dive operators, coral guardians, conservation groups, and coastal communities who protect our underwater kingdoms and orchestrate experiences that keep divers coming back for more.
Wave Two: Manila Makes It Look Easy
Manila, a city that is long shrugged off outdated stereotypes and rebuilt its glow, snagged its third straight win as the World’s Leading City Destination—in a field that reads like the ultimate urban fantasy draft.
The capital outshone Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Cancún, Cape Town, Doha, Dubai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Lisbon, London, Marrakech, Melbourne, Miami Beach, New York, Porto, Quito, Santiago, Seattle, and Sydney.
What sealed the win? Manila’s rising cultural clout, vibrant culinary evolution, revitalized heritage districts, and its ascent as a formidable MICE powerhouse—a city ready to host the world’s biggest ideas with flair (and probably really good food).
Wave Three: Boracay Still Reigns Supreme
As if its turquoise waters needed any more validation, Boracay reclaimed the title of World’s Leading Luxury Island Destination—holding off Jersey, Mustique, and the Bahamas.
Luxury travelers know the drill: Boracay doesn’t just welcome you; it upgrades you. The award recognizes its continually elevated guest experience, solid sustainability gains, and the fine-tuned collaboration between the community and the island’s world-class hospitality sector.
Riding High, Looking Ahead
First launched in 1993, the World Travel Awards remain the gold standard in global tourism honors. This year’s wins don’t just decorate the Philippines with more prestige—they reaffirm its position as a top-tier destination firing on all cylinders.
Seven waves, three trophies, one nation on a roll.
The Philippines isn’t just winning. It’s rewriting the tide charts.
