The Department of Tourism (DOT) said it recorded a million foreign tourist arrivals to date, an auspicious start as the agency targets 7.7 million tourists this year.
DOT Secretary Christina Frasco told reporters at the first general membership meeting of the Philippine Tour Operators Association in Makati yesterday the government is eyeing more flights and air seat entitlements with other countries, including direct air connectivity with India.
This will help lift the standing of the Philippines from sixth in the most number of air seats in the region while giving tourists more access to the country’s tourism sites.
“(The number of seats has a) direct correlation to our numbers in terms of international arrivals. Therefore, the need for more direct flights and other such types of accessibility in to the Philippines is of absolute and utmost importance, because we do not enjoy the inherent advantage of our neighbors of being landlocked …Unless you take a cruise to the Philippines, you have to fly,” Frasco said as she expressed gratitude to the efforts of local carriers in adding more domestic destinations and in increasing flight frequencies to connect international travelers to the islands.
Frasco said it is encouraging carriers like United Airlines, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways to fly direct to other gateways to boost connectivity.
Frasco said talks are ongoing with two major Indian carriers for air services agreement that would open direct routes between India and the Philippines.
Frasco said United Airlines has received positively DOT’s request to consider other gateways other than Manila such as Cebu. The airline started flying direct between San Francisco, California to Manila last year.
Emirates will have more slots coming into the year.
Frasco said Turkish Airlines announced it will have five times a week flight frequency from Cebu, as well as added flights to Manila while Qatar will have seven additional flights to the Philippines and various destinations.
