CLARK FREEPORT – In what can only be an affirmation of its primacy in the hotel industry in this part of the country, Swissotel Clark has been hailed anew as the Philippines’ Leading Lifestyle Hotel at the Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2024 of the 31st World Travel Awards held at the City of Dreams, Manila on Sept. 3.
The jubilant duo of Swissotel Clark hotel manager Maria Rizza Munar and cluster assistant director of marketing Alex Aquino received the recognition from one of the world’s most prestigious award-giving bodies in the travel and tourism industry.
Swissotel Clark stood alongside the Philippines itself, clinching a total of eight recognitions including Asia’s Leading Dive Destination for the sixth consecutive year since 2019, Asia’s Leading Beach Destination, and Asia’s Leading Island Destination.
The Philippines also bagged the Asia’s Leading Marketing Campaign 2024 award for Love the Philippines campaign. At the 30th WTA last year, it also won several awards, including the first-ever Global Tourism Resaward, which the country proudly shared with four other nations.
The historic Walled City of Intramuros was cited as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction, while Boracay copped the title of Asia’s Leading Luxury Island Destination, and Cebu as Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco was recognized for her transformational leadership in tourism, citing her “outstanding contributions to tourism governance” and “vision, tireless dedication, and the tangible impacts of her initiatives have set a new benchmark in tourism leadership, not just in the Philippines but across Asia and Oceania.”
“The past two years have been a period of incredible growth and transformation for the Philippines. Under the leadership of our President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr, we have embarked on a path of dynamic tourism development, investing heavily in infrastructure, improving connectivity across our 7,641 islands, enhancing the overall tourism experience, and most importantly, investing in our greatest asset, our people,” Frasco said in her speech.
Paying tribute, thus: “The Filipino people, with their innate warmth, resilience, and passion, are at the heart of Philippine tourism. They are the embodiment of the essence of our culture, the genuine smiles, the unparalleled service, and the authentic experiences that leave a lasting impression upon every traveler.”
“We are committed to empowering our people with the skills, the support, and the opportunities that they need to consistently deliver world-class tourism experiences,” enthused the secretary.
“Today, the Philippines stands ready to host global events of all scales while maintaining our local charm and authenticity. We are a nation that rises to challenges, innovates with passion, and embraces every opportunity with optimism, exerting every effort towards our country becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia,” said the DOT chief.
For his part, WTA founder Graham Cooke shared an optimistic outlook on the global tourism industry. Of the Philippines targeting to welcome 7.7 million international visitors or near its pre-pandemic record in 2019, he said: “This would be nothing short of an outstanding achievement, and it’s a testament to the hard work, resilience and the ambition of the Department of Tourism and the nation’s resurgent private sector.”
To the awardees, Cooke said: “You have been recognized by our global voting audience as the leaders of tourism excellence. I know that your commitment to becoming the very best will, in turn, serve to drive up the standards across the industry and will raise the collective benchmark. It is only by always striving to improve, to conduct our business better, with greater customer care, compassion, and only by working together can we ensure that the travel industry continues to develop and prosper.”
Established in 1993, the WTA is regarded as the tourism industry’s ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.
Each year, WTA covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.
The hosting of the gala ceremony in Manila marked the fourth leg of WTA’s Grand Tour 2024, a global search for the finest travel and tourism organizations covering six continents.
