Department of Tourism Partcipates in CAPA Asia Aviation Summit in Singapore

Ambassador to Singapore Joseph del Mar Yap (fifth from left) with CAPA Chairman Emeritus Peter Harbison (fourth from right), Department of Tourism Route Development Officers Buena Carla Zaldivia (third from right) and Ghienel Gustilo (second from right), and Philippine Embassy officials J Anthony Reyes (fourth from left), Wilford Wong (leftmost) and Marita Diane Montecillo (third from left). (Singapore PE photo)

SINGAPORE 13 December 2019 – The Department of Tourism (DOT) participated in the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Asia Aviation Summit 2019 on 14-15 November 2019 in Singapore.

CAPA Asia Summit is an annual forum for industry executives representing aviation, travel, hoteliers, airports and travel management networks.

The Summit discussed aviation industry concerns and opportunities, and took up the future of the full-service carrier (FSC) model in Asia, the Chinese travel market, low-cost carrier (LCC) alliances industry executives, airline and travel distribution.

DOT Route Development Unit Head Buena Carla Zaldivia says that the DOT is participating in the CAPA summit to network with various airlines and negotiate with them to establish new routes to the Philippines, which will bring in more tourists from more parts of the world.

The Philippine government revised Build, Build, Build Program, which recently increased the number of flagship infrastructure projects to 100, includes eight international and four domestic airport projects, which comprise of Bicol (New Legaspi) International Airport, New Zamboanga International Airport, New Manila International Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Bacolod-Silay International Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Davao International Airport, Sangley Airport, Laguindingan Airport, M’lang (Central Mindanao) Airport and New Dumaguete (Bacong) Airport.

The new and re-developed airports increase tourist arrival capacities and make more tourism destinations accessible by direct flights.

The DOT is targeting 8.2 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2019, a 15.5% increase from the 7.1 million in 2018 and 12 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2020. The majority of tourists come from about 13 countries. Tourists from other countries may be coming in lesser numbers but stay longer and spend more in the Philippines. END

For more information, visit https://www.singaporepe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.org.sg or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSingapore.