- Photo by Tricia Lyn Cruz
The ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) today proudly presented the 35th ASEANTA Tourism Awards of Excellence in Cebu, the Philippines, recognising outstanding achievements that exemplify excellence, innovation, sustainability, and collaboration across Southeast Asia’s tourism industry. The Awards Ceremony was held in conjunction with the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026, one of the region’s most important annual tourism gatherings.
With a legacy spanning more than three decades, the ASEANTA Tourism Awards remain one of ASEAN’s most respected regional accolades, setting benchmarks for quality and responsible tourism development. The 35th edition continues this tradition by celebrating organisations and individuals whose initiatives demonstrate measurable impact, creativity, and a strong commitment to advancing ASEAN as a competitive and unified tourism destination.
“This year’s awardees represent the very best of ASEAN tourism – from sustainability leadership and cultural preservation to innovative marketing and world-class visitor experiences,” said Eddy Krismeidi Soemawilaga, President of ASEANTA. “Their achievements show how tourism excellence can drive positive impact not only for individual destinations, but for ASEAN as a region.”
35th ASEANTA Tourism Awards of Excellence – Winners
The recipients of the 35th ASEANTA Tourism Awards of Excellence are:
● Best ASEAN Convention Centre: SMX Convention Centre, Philippines
● Best ASEAN Cultural Preservation Effort Award: Borneo Nature Tours Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
● Best ASEAN Eco-Lodge: Borneo Nature Tours Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
● Best ASEAN Hotel Package: Lotus Desaru Beach Resort & Spa, Malaysia
● Best ASEAN Marketing & Promotional Program: AirAsia MOVE, Malaysia
● Best ASEAN New Tourism Attraction Award: Enchanted Kingdom Inc., Philippines
● Best ASEAN Sustainability Program: Sudamala Resorts, Indonesia
● Best ASEAN Tour Operator: CSL Travel & Tours, Cambodia
● Best ASEAN Travel Article: Shroff Travel, Philippines
The ASEANTA Tourism Awards are expected to generate a meaningful and lasting impact for Southeast Asia’s tourism sector by raising industry standards across the region, encouraging tourism players to continuously improve quality, innovation, and sustainability. By showcasing exemplary initiatives, the Awards help inspire the replication of best practices across ASEAN destinations, enabling successful models to be adapted and scaled within different national and local contexts. At the same time, the Awards provide greater visibility and credibility for award recipients, strengthening confidence among travellers, industry partners, and policymakers, and reinforcing ASEAN’s positioning as a diverse yet unified tourism destination on the global stage.
Through the ASEANTA Tourism Awards, ASEANTA plays a strategic role as a regional convener, bringing together public and private sector stakeholders to recognise excellence and foster collaboration across ASEAN. ASEANTA also acts as a custodian of standards and integrity, ensuring that the Awards are conducted through a transparent, credible, and merit-based evaluation process guided by experienced tourism leaders from across the region. Beyond recognition, ASEANTA leverages the Awards as a platform for advocacy and knowledge-sharing, using insights from award-winning initiatives to inform regional dialogue, promote sustainability, and support the long-term development and competitiveness of ASEAN tourism.
ASEANTA extends its sincere appreciation to the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines and the Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines for their strong support and close collaboration in hosting the 35th ASEANTA Tourism Awards of Excellence in Cebu. Their commitment and partnership have been instrumental in ensuring the successful delivery of this regional celebration of tourism excellence as part of ATF 2026.
