DAVAO CITY -- The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII) are in talks with Japan-based travel operators for Davao-Tokyo connectivity.
Newly-elected president of the DCCCII, Arturo Milan, said the Japanese travel operators took the interest of establishing a Davao-Tokyo connection after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the city last December 2017.
He said what these business operators really want is to expand a direct flight from Davao to Tokyo.
It is still in the exploratory stage but they want to make it a reality, he said.
“During the discussion, I suggested that it (Davao-Tokyo connection) should be any time before the Kadayawan Festival and we have to promote this in Japan,” he said.
He said the best time to promote it in Japan is between the Philippine summer months in March to May.
He said there is interest from the Japanese as they come to Davao City yearly for a “sentimental journey” to where their ancestors settled - in Mintal known as “Little Tokyo”.
In 2017 Region 11 tourist arrivals data, Japanese ranked second among foreign visitors in Davao City.
The 2017 statistics also showed United States ranked first with 20,779; Korea, third with 7,550; Australia, 5,929; India, 4,976; Singapore, 4,040; Canada, 4,016; United Kingdom, 3,282; and Saudi Arabia, 2,371.
“The Japanese had long been visiting Davao and these tour operators want to expand this to a regular event and the best way to do is through a direct flight from Davao to Tokyo,” he said.
“The group will be meeting again where we will invite the Davao City Tourism Office,” he said. (Digna D. Banzon/PNA)
