Picture this: Crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches, vibrant marine life, and abundant cultural experiences. It's no wonder the Philippines, an archipelago with more than 7,000 islands and islets, has been crowned Asia's Best Cruise Destination for 2023 in the recently concluded World Cruise Awards.
The Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary, Christina Garcia Frasco, couldn't be prouder of this achievement. She said, "This first-time recognition as Asia's Best Cruise Destination 2023 is a big win for Philippine tourism as it reflects a resounding global preference for our island destinations."
As of writing, the Department of Tourism (DOT) projects to have 128 ports of call across 38 destinations nationwide this 2023. Cruise ships, including Seaborne Encore, Silver Shadow, MSC Poesia, Queen Elizabeth, Norwegian Jewel, Coral Adventure, MS Seven Seas Explorer, MS Star Breeze, Silver Whisper, Oceania Cruises, Aidabella, and the Blue Dream Cruise, are expected to bring in more than 101,000 passengers to the Philippines.
Norwegian Cruise Line, in particular, has included Manila, Aklan, and Puerto Princesa in its Southeast Asian comeback. These voyages also pass through Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Last September 6, the Philippines was hailed as Asia's Leading Dive Destination for the fifth consecutive year. This positions us as a contender for the global championship. We had previously held the distinction of Asia's Leading Beach Destination, a title we secured in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022, until Indonesia claimed victory this year. Additionally, in 2022, we achieved the prestigious recognition of the World's Leading Beach Destination.
This story originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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