Generose Tecson, head of the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (PNA file photo)
DAVAO CITY -- The Davao City Tourism Operations Office (DCTOO) recorded some 2.34 million visitors as of November this year, an official said in a statement on Thursday.
Generose Tecson, CTOO head, said this figure is higher than that of the similar last year, which only had 2.17 million.
"I believe that we're more than that but we don't have data from the self-styled accommodation. Our visitor arrivals consisted of local and foreign tourists," Tecson said.
Topping the list of foreign visitors are Americans, Chinese, and Japanese, she added.
Meanwhile, Tecson said they are looking forward to having the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences/conventions, exhibitions/events) program in place.
She said the support of front liners and tourism-related establishments would mean that their services are at par with international standards.
"The cooperation of our private sector partners is in ensuring that they have the required legal documents to operate their businesses," she said.
She also said that it will lead to the opening of more investments in the tourism industry like resorts, convention facilities and the cascading of the benefits of tourism down to local stakeholders.
Tecson said they look forward to more international connectivity also. In 2019, two direct international flights opened in Davao City - to Doha Qatar by Qatar Airways and to Manado, Indonesia by Garuda Indonesia.
Davao City will host the MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions and Exhibit) Summit scheduled in August 2020 with delegates among others are composed of buyers from the domestic and international markets. (PNA)
