The Department of Tourism welcomed Camiguin’s inclusion in The New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2026,” with the island province standing as the only Philippine destination on the list. The publication recognized the island for its mountains, beach-es and rich marine biodiversity.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the international recognition highlights both Camiguin’s natural assets and the sustained efforts of its local government, com-munities and tourism workers.
“This recognition by The New York Times affirms Camiguin’s extraordinary natural beauty and the tireless work of its people, tourism frontliners, and the committed lead-ership of Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo and the provincial government in positioning the island as a globally competitive destination,” Frasco said.
Frasco added that the DOT continues to work closely with the provincial government and DOT Region X to ensure tourism growth remains sustainable and inclusive across the island. The recognition coincides with the rollout of the “Isle Visit Camiguin 2026” campaign and ongoing infrastructure upgrades designed to improve accessibility.
In its feature, The New York Times cited the near completion of the island’s 40-mile cir-cumferential road expansion and the upcoming opening of its first beachfront board-walk in Mambajao.
Camiguin is also reinforcing its status as a sports tourism destination, with a new triath-lon scheduled in May, alongside various swimming and running events. To strengthen dive tourism, the DOT has promoted the island’s marine offerings through the Cami-guin Dive Festival, held three times from 2023 to 2025 following the mapping of local dive sites in 2018.
The department has also endorsed the construction of a multi-place hyperbaric cham-ber in partnership with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority to en-hance diver safety.
The DOT Region X office has further supported Camiguin’s emergence as a cruise destination by facilitating the arrival of the Coral Geographer for two consecutive years starting in 2024. Additional adventure tourism initiatives include the Isle Bike Tour held from 2023 to 2024 and the “Climb Camiguin” activity in May 2025, which showcased Mt. Hibok-Hibok’s biodiversity.
Camiguin was listed alongside global destinations including Los Angeles; Nagasaki, Japan; Okinawa, Japan; Armenia; Iceland; Assisi, Italy; Warsaw, Poland; Melbourne, Australia; Bangkok; and Vietnam.
