Philippines named 'Destination of the Year' 

The Philippines has won the Destination of the Year Award at the Routes Asia 2025 Awards held in Perth, Australia, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Assistant Secretary Judilyn Quiachon, Director Warner Andrada, Tourism Attaché for Australia and New Zealand Purificacion Suanding-Molintas, along with the rest of the DOT delegation, received the award during ceremonies on Monday.

In a news release Monday night, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said this recognition underscores the agency’s strong leadership in expanding the Philippines’ air connectivity through strategic marketing, robust industry collaboration, and sustainable tourism initiatives.

“These awards are a testament to the strength of our partnerships with different stakeholders in the aviation and travel industry, our unwavering focus on connectivity, and our collective vision of positioning the Philippines as a premier global destination,” Frasco said.

She added that this achievement reflects the DOT’s tireless work under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to elevate Philippine tourism through enhanced air access, infrastructure development, and strategic alliances.

As of Feb. 28, 2025, 46 new domestic and 47 international routes are in operation, improving access to destinations such as Siargao, Batanes, Panglao, and Coron, among others.

The Routes Asia Awards celebrate excellence in air service development and marketing across the Asia-Pacific region.

Recognized as the “most valuable awards in the route development community”, these awards highlight collaboration between airlines, airports, and tourism authorities. Routes Asia is an annual forum that connects aviation and tourism stakeholders to shape future air services.

Meanwhile, the country’s low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific received recognition as Best Airline—its second consecutive win—reinforcing its role as a leader in Philippine aviation.

In 2024, the airline launched 31 new routes, resumed hub operations in Davao and Iloilo, and expanded to destinations like Kaohsiung, Chiang Mai, and Sapporo.

The Philippines also earned nominations in two key airport categories this year: Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in the 5–20 Million Passengers category, and Clark International Airport (CRK) in the Under 5 Million Passengers category. Both airports were previously recognized—Clark in 2024 and Mactan-Cebu in 2023—for their remarkable growth and route development strategies.