The Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga province has been named Asia’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination at the 32nd World Travel Awards (WTA) for Asia and Oceania, a historic first for the country in the category.
Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president and chief executive Agnes Devanadera welcomed the recognition as a “defining moment” for Clark and the Philippines’ growing MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector.
“This award affirms Clark’s emergence as a world-class destination for business events and reflects the strength of our partnerships and shared vision,” Devanadera said.
Clark defeated regional hubs including Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo and Beijing for the honor. The WTA, often called the “Oscars of the Travel Industry,” announced the results after a four-month global voting campaign.
The Department of Tourism Region 3 nominated Clark for the award and confirmed the win on Sept. 18. The victory adds to the Philippines’ growing list of WTA accolades, which include Asia’s Leading Beach Destination (Boracay), Asia’s Leading Dive Destination and Asia’s Leading Tourist Board.
The award was made possible through the joint efforts of CDC, the DOT’s regional office and tourism stakeholders to position Clark as a competitive MICE hub.
The WTA ceremony was held on Oct. 13 at the InterContinental Grand Stanford in Hong Kong.
Other officials present at the awarding ceremony included CDC vice president for business development and business enhancement group Noelle Mina Meneses; CDC manager for communications division Astrud Aguinaldo and CDC tourism officer III Ian Paulo Mejia.
The CDC Tourism Promotions Division, led by manager Elenita Lorenzo, mounted a dedicated push from April to August, enlisting support from locators, stakeholders and the general public.
