CTOO hopes more foreigners visit Davao as US lowers travel advisory

A REPRESENTATIVE from the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) said that they hope more foreign tourists will arrive in Davao City since the Department of State of the United States has lowered the travel advisory for the city.

Charlotte Parba, CTOO’s administrative officer, said this during the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday morning, May 20, 2024, at SM City Davao.

“We enjoy a very good management on the aspect of peace and order in Davao City, hindi lang June or Christmas or summer na may marami tayong influx ng foreign tourists, but of course, for this event, we would like to pray and hope na sana marami tayong foreign tourist arrivals,” she said.

(We enjoy very good management on the aspect of peace and order in Davao City, not only in June or Christmas or summer, we have a large influx of foreign tourists, but of course, for this event, we would like to pray and hope that we will have an increase in the number of foreign tourist arrivals).

Parba added that by adding Duaw Dabaw as the city’s summer event, they will promote not only the festival itself but also how safe Davao City is.

Recently, the Department of State of the United States has lowered the travel advisory levels for Davao City. Based on their statement in their Philippines Travel Advisory on May 16, 2024, their level three travel advisory for Davao City, which means to reconsider travel, became level two, which means exercise caution.

Davao City, Davao del Norte, Siargao Island, and the Dinagat Islands have all their travel advisories lowered. The department considered Mindanao level three, while some areas are still at level four, which means “Do not travel”. These areas are the Sulu Archipelago, Sulu Sea, and Marawi City.

The department said that terrorists and armed groups in the Sulu Archipelago and sea have engaged in kidnapping for ransom; they have also engaged in bombings and several other attacks. In Marawi City, the civilians would face death or injury because of the clashes between the security forces of the Philippines and terrorist groups.

“The U.S. government’s ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in this region is very limited. U.S. government employees under the U.S. Embassy’s (Chief of Mission) security responsibility must obtain special authorization to travel to these areas,” the U.S. State Department said in their advisory. /