The cities of Baguio and Ilagan in the provinces of Benguet and Isabela are among this year’s Asean Clean Tourist Cities awardees, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Thursday.

Nine other Philippine hotels also bagged various Asean Tourism Awards, reflecting the tourism sector’s commitment to ensuring a high standard of tourism despite the challenges posed by the prevailing pandemic.

“This recognition of our local cities and hotels and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Convention and Exhibition) venues not only serves as a testament to the Philippines’ commitment to uphold the best tourism standards, it also mirrors the strong Bayanihan spirit we have exhibited to overcome this crisis,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement.

“The current health crisis is a bane of the industry. Nevertheless, local tourism offices and our stakeholders aren’t backing down from this. By collaborating to help find solutions, they have proven that they can adapt despite the current limitations on their operations,” she added.

Nobu Hotel, Nuwa Hotel, Hyatt Regency and Conrad Manila were recognized as among the best in the Asean Green Hotel Award for 2022.

Conrad Manila’s Forbes Ballroom, on the other hand, nets the Asean MICE Venue Award for the meeting room category. Quest Plus Conference Center Clark’s Magellan Ballroom and Baguio Country Club’s William Cameron Forbes Ballroom were also recognized among the top five awardees.

Rounding up the list for the meeting room category were Astoria Palawan’s Mangrove Conference and Convention Center and Widus (Clark Marriott Hotel) Marriott Grand Ballroom.

The World Trade Center in Metro Manila and the Cordillera Convention Hall in Baguio City were named as MICE Venue awardees under the exhibition venue category. (PNA)