Smart Travel poll: Boracay, Palawan in 2011 top Asia's holiday destinations
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

BORACAY - The island of Boracay is one of Asia's Best Holiday Destinations in the latest online poll of Smart Travel Asia, the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine with over one million readers worldwide.

The 2011 travel poll – now in its seventh year – is the readers’ perceptions and favourite travel brands based on substantial hands-on travel experience, word-of-mouth at dinnertime chats, as well as an idea of the brand drawn from advertising and editorial exposure in the online media.

Boracay Island, famous for its white sand beaches located in Malay, Aklan, was ranked No. 10 in the top Asian holiday destinations this year. Palawan shared fifth place with the island republic of Maldives in the latest online poll, which ran for three months from May to July.

Boracay and Palawan are the tourist destinations in the country named by the Smart Travel Asia online poll.

The scenic Bali, Indonesia was chosen as Asia's best holiday destination followed by Phuket in Thailand, Hongkong and Kerala in India. Hanoi in Vietnam moved up to sixth place with Shanghai, China. Hoi An ancient town of Vietnam jointly ranked in seventh place with Rajasthan of India and Seoul, South Korea.

Angkor, Cambodia was in 8th place with Langkawi, Indonesia. Goa in India, Koh Samui in Thailand and Penang, Malaysia were ranked in 9th place. Bali, an enchanting island in Indonesia, was ranked first in 2006, 2007 and 2009 as the top holiday destination in Asia by readers' votes of the online poll.

Cebu Pacific (CEB) was also ranked third among Asia's top low-cost airlines behind AirAsia/Air AsiaX and Jetstar Asia. The budget airline based in the Philippines has pioneered Go Lite fares, all-inclusive fares, prepaid excess baggage and e-ticketing since its operation in 1996.

Shangri-La's Boracay Resort and Spa made it for the first time in the Top 25 Spa Resorts and Hotels. El Nido Lagen Island Resort, Amanpulo on Pamalican Island and El Nido Miniloc Island Resort in Palawan were also named in the Top 25 of the Leisure Hotels and Resorts.

Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa in Cebu bagged the 18th spot while Mandala Spa and Villas was ranked 25th in the Top 25 Spa Resorts and Hotels.

According to Smart Travel magazine, their voters took an average 15.75 air trips over the past year and earned an average US$156.716 in household income. They travelled enough to tell the difference between crass and class.

Approximately 60 percent were based in Asia (largely Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and the Middle East), 20 percent in UK/Europe and 20 percent in USA and North America. As many as 92.4 percent of the voters said they drew their primary image of brands from the Internet and 88.8 percent said they made travel decisions online.