Manila was recognized as the leading city of 2023

On December 1, Dubai hosted the World Travel Awards ceremony. The jury gave the victory to Manila, recognizing it as the best city of 2023.

Manila Standard knows who else claimed the victory and how the city representatives reacted to the award.

Manila was ahead of 22 other cities around the world, including Dubai, Las Vegas, London, Melbourne, New York, and Sydney.

The Philippines also retained its 2022 titles as the world's top diving destination and the place with the best beaches.

Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco said the awards "reinforce [the country's] position as an unrivaled destination for tourism."

"We express our gratitude to all those who contributed to this victory, and we continue to support all those interested in developing the tourism sector ," she said in a statement.

World Travel Awards

Founded in 1993 to recognize excellence in the travel industry. Today it is recognized worldwide as the highest award in the industry.

To determine the winners and nominees, a worldwide tour is organized every year. The competition culminates in the Grand Final, which takes place at the end of the year. It is attended by influential people and media representatives.

Its goal is to support and promote tourism, as well as to inspire people working in this industry to improve and develop their services.