The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) aims to ramp up the promotion of the country’s key destinations to the Australian market.
This is in light of the recent increase in flight frequencies between the Philippines and Australia. Since 7th October, Philippine Airlines (PAL) now flies daily between Manila and Brisbane and vice versa.
Krystle Ramirez-Gastrock, PAL area manager for Australia, explained that this increases the total number of weekly flights between Australia and the Philippines to 22 non-stop connections across four cities, namely Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
Addressing participants at the Love the Philippines: Tourism and Travel Forum at this year’s WTTC Global Summit, Ramirez-Gastrock said: “This represents a 22-percent increase in frequency compared to our normal pre-pandemic operations, making us the airline with the widest network of flights between Australia and the Philippines.
Australia is a vital source of tourist arrivals, with nearly 200,000 Australians visiting the Philippines as of the beginning of this month. It currently ranks as the fifth largest source market for Philippine tourism.
Getting support from the local front
During the same WTTC Global Summit forum, tourism secretary Christina Frasco called on Filipino community leaders in Australia and the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) to unite in promoting Philippine tourism among Australians.
Frasco said: “Our quest to establish the Philippines as a premier global destination is not merely a pursuit in and of itself. It is a shared commitment to showcasing the beauty, culture, traditions, and spirit of our nation. It is through the unwavering partnership and united effort of all of us here today that we can elevate the Philippines to its rightful place on the world stage.”
According to Frasco, Australians spend nearly 13 nights in the Philippines per trip, exploring the islands and indulging in Filipino food.
The secretary added: “It is no surprise then that over 62 percent of visitors from Australia are repeat tourists. This reflects what we know to be true: Once you experience the Philippines, you will always yearn to come back. Not just for the breathtaking scenery, but for the people who make your visit feel like coming home.”
