Photo courtesy of Condé Nast Travelers
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The island of Cebu has been named once again as a popular tourist destination in Asia by a prestigious international magazine.
Condé Nast Traveler (CNT), the luxury and lifestyle magazine of Condé Nast Publications, revealed on October 7, 2020 (Philippine Standard Time) the winners for the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards.
‘Cebu and Visayas’ topped the list of the Best Islands in Asia 2020 category. It was followed by Sri Lanka at second and Ko Pha Ngan in Thailand at third.
“Located in the center of the Philippines, Cebu draws nearly 2 million travelers annually for its pristine beaches and diving off the island’s northern coast. Spanish and Roman Catholic influences permeate Cebu City; Basilica Minore del Santo Niño houses a small statue of Christ that was presented by Ferdinand Magellan,” the magazine said.
In a follow-up statement, the Department of Tourism in the Philippines (DOT) clarified that Cebu and Visayas were ‘lumped as one entry’ during the votation.
CNT also recommended readers to visit Kawasan Falls located in Badian town of southwestern Cebu.
“Kawasan Falls, a swimming hole and series of three waterfalls near Cebu’s southwest coast, is popular with locals and tourists alike. Really popular—avoid visiting on weekends, and hike past the first of the falls to find a quieter spot,” they noted.
Aside from Cebu, two other favorite tourist spots in the Philippines made it to the coveted. These are Palawan, Siargao, and Boracay which ranked fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Condé Nast said that over 600,000 readers were given the chance to vote for their favorite picks for the 33rd Readers’ Choice Awards.
“Our 33rd Readers’ Choice Awards represent the first time that you, the voters, made your picks when almost no one was traveling. So the names in this year’s edition are the ones that brought you comfort, that you still connected with long afterward, that got you through the months without travel,” they explained.
DOT, for its part, welcomed this development.
“The Philippines is indeed blessed with the best of nature, as exhibited by the consecutive accolades we are receiving from reputable and prestigious publications for our islands and beaches,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said in a statement.
“This latest citation from CNT gives us in the Department of Tourism (DOT) a boost of confidence, as we continuously carry out our strategies to gradually reopen domestic tourism, to once again welcome travellers from other countries when things become better,” she added.
/bmjo
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