More flights connecting Davao needed to boost trade, tourism

DAVAO CITY – Tourism industry stakeholders in Davao City are hoping for more international flights that will connect Davao City to different parts of the world.

“We are really hoping that through our gateway, Davao International Airport, we can push more international flights because that helps us in promoting outbound and inbound tourism,” said travel agent and current vice president for travel and tours sector of the Davao Travel Agencies Association (DTAA), Pia Partoza Montano.

She stressed that the lack of international flights in Davao leads to higher ticket prices for airline tickets going to the city, as this was observed during their last year’s tourism mission in Singapore.

Currently, Qatar Airways operates a single weekly route from Davao to Doha, Qatar.

Low-cost carrier Scoot offers thrice-weekly flights from Davao to Singapore, and Royal Air offers twice-weekly from Hong Kong to Davao.

Department of Tourism-Davao (DOT-Davao) Regional Director Tanya Rabat-Tan wants the existing international routes to be promoted so that these flights will be sustained and the airline companies will add more frequencies.

“Let’s also help promote the Qatar once-a-week flight, especially now that Europe has a strong market for leisure travelers here; let us take advantage of this route,” Rabat-Tan said.

She added that more international flights will help in Davao Region’s goal of positioning itself as a premiere adventure destination not just in the country but also in the ASEAN region, and among its major programs is the Davao Adventure Challenge, a year-long campaign of DOT-Davao that will spotlight Davao’s unique natural attractions and eco-adventure escapades.

“We are hopeful for these international flights, especially with these new things you can do and offerings in the region, plus, of course, travel advisories, and maybe then they (airlines) will be encouraged,” Rabat-Tan said.

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific is eyeing more international flights to Davao.

Carmina Romero, Cebu Pacific director for corporate communications and also the airline spokesperson, revealed that once the Cebu Pacific airline fleet becomes more stable and goes fully operational, they will be resuming the Singapore-Davao flight. /