DOT eyes more tourists flying in to Davao

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Sept. 11 (PIA) -- More domestic and international tourists are expected to fly their way to Davao Region as the Department of Tourism (DOT) currently works to position the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (FBIA) to serve as an active secondary international gateway of the Philippines.

In his talk in a recent convocation at the Bulwagan ng Lalawigan, DOT XI Regional Director Art Boncato revealed the plans of DOT to improve the access and connectivity of the Davao Region to local and international destinations, maximizing the capacity of FBIA which has been known as Davao International Airport.

The DOT is now working closely with the Regional Development Council (RDC) XI, the city government of Davao, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Office of Congresswoman Mylene Garcia-Albano to institute the needed physical improvement of the international airport.

The improvement is geared towards achieving the full terminal utilization which presently is placed at 60 percent based on reports from CAAP Davao which also revealed a total of 2.6 million domestic and foreign FBIA arrivals registered in 2011.

In line with the thrust to increase airport traffic to an average of 39 flights a day, RDC XI has created an airport task force and has designated the DOT, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc (DCCCII), City Government of Davao and CAAP “to lead in marketing and promotion,” Boncato said.

DOT along with CAAP will be taking part in the 18th World Route Development Forum in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates to be appraised with the new global air connections which will be discussed during the gathering of airline planners, tourism organizations and airport authorities around the world.

To take advantage of the growing regional markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) , DOT is linking with airlines operating in the Brunei Darrusalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP EAGA).

Among these airlines is the Wings Air/Lion Air for a flight connection from Davao to Manado, Indonesia; the MAS Wings of Malaysia Airlines for Kota Kinabalu-Davao-Manado triangular route starting December this year; and Air Asia Malaysia for daily flights between Kota Kinabalu and Davao starting November this year.

“These are on top of Silkair’s Davao-Singapore connection five times a week,” Boncato said.

To bring in more international flights, DOT is also pushing for a start of charter flights of Air Busan of South Korea from Incheon Internatioal Airport to Davao.

To further boost arrivals of usual foreign visitors, DOT takes a vigorous promotion campaign in Japan, South Korea, China and the ASEAN markets, bringing into the Davao Region delegations to visit inland and island attractions in various parts of the region.

Boncato also eyed the Pacific Asia Travel Association Fair set in Manila later this year, as a good chance of bringing Asian tourists to visit the Davao Region.

“We shall be hosting several foreign buyers to visit the region and we shall bring them here,” he said referring to Davao Region and to Davao del Norte which DOT has clustered with Davao City as Davao Region’s international gateway.

Aside from Davao City and Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley provinces are grouped together under the Davao Gulf and Coast Tourism Cluster. (PIA-11/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)

Sourced: pia.gov