Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said Monday the Philippines won the coveted Destination of the Year Award at the Routes Asia 2025 Awards in Perth, Australia.
“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,” said Frasco.
The Routes Asia Awards recognize excellence in air service development and marketing across the Asia-Pacific region, celebrating collaboration between airlines, airports and tourism authorities.
Aligned with the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023–2028, the DOT said it has driven connectivity improvements, with 46 new domestic and 47 international routes operational as of Feb. 28, 2025, enhancing access to key destinations like Siargao, Batanes, Panglao and Coron.
The DOT also collaborated on aviation-focused initiatives with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and private sector stakeholders on airport modernization, increased flight frequencies and improved inter-island services.
Cebu Pacific secured Best Airline for the second year by launching 31 new routes in 2024 and resuming hub operations in Davao and Iloilo.
The airline also placed the largest aircraft order in Philippine history of 152 Airbus jets worth $24 billion.
The Philippines also earned airport nominations for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the 5 to 20 million passengers category and Clark International Airport for under 5 million passengers category.