Get ready for “Japanese invasion” in the days and years to come, as the Department of Tourism and its marketing and promotions arm, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), have partnered with the leading Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) to put together “I Travel Philippines 2017 (ITP 2017)”, the largest familiarization tour for Japanese tourism stakeholders in the Pearl of the Orient.
ITP 2017 brought the biggest Japanese contingent in the Philippines on July 2 at a familiarization and networking dinner held at Novotel Hotel in Quezon City. Coming together were 50 travel agents, incentive planners, tour agents and journalist from Japan who were scheduled to visit five of the finest destinations in the Philippines, including Condé Nast’s best islands in the world: Palawan and Boracay; along with the country’s emerging destinations, namely: Legazpi, Albay; Iloilo and Guimaras; and Tagbilaran, Bohol.
This is to ramp up efforts to promote the key destinations in the Philippines among Japanese tourists and help meet the agency’s target of 1.37 million visitor arrivals from Japan by year 2022.
In May, the DOT reported that 255,819 Japanese tourists visited the Philippines in the first five months of the year, up 14 percent versus the same period in 2016. Last year, the Philippines posted a record of 535,238 tourists from Japan, an 8 percent increase from 2015’s visitors. The DOT attributed the double digit growth to focused initiatives aimed at attracting Japanese tourists to visit the country, as well as the availability of more direct flights between the Philippines and Japan’s major points such as Nagoya, Fukuoka, Osaka and Tokyo.
According to Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo, it’s high time for the DOT to push and promote new destinations that are consistent with the country’s National Tourism Development Plan goals to spread the benefits of tourism as an inclusive industry that creates equitable opportunities for Filipinos.
“By experiencing the Philippines through ITP 2017, we hope to revitalize tourist interest in the country and strengthen Philippine and Japanese networks. We want to showcase that the Philippines is a safe, fun and beautiful country that makes the journey worth the trip,” Teo said.
Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific boasts of flying to 37 domestic and 26 international destinations, with 109 routes spanning Asia, the Middle East and the USA. The CEB network operates flights out of six strategically placed hubs in the Philippines: Clark, Davao, Kalibo, Cebu, Iloilo and Manila. The 61-strong CEB fleet has an average age of 4.96 years and is comprised of three Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320 and eight Airbus A330; while the Cebgo fleet is composed of eight ATR 72-500, and six ATR 72-600 aircraft. Between 2017 and 2022, CEB expects delivery of seven A321CEO (Current Engine Option), 10 ATR 72-600 and 32 Airbus A321NEO (New Engine Option) aircraft.
“We at Cebu Pacific are honored to partner with the DOT and the TPB to spur growth of the Philippine tourism industry. We recognize the vital role of tourism in economic development and the potential it brings to create jobs and pump-prime the economy down to the grassroots level, “said Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and distribution of Cebu Pacific Air.
Cebu Pacific has the most extensive network between Japan and the Philippines, linking Tokyo (Narita), Nagoya, Osaka (Kansai) and Fukuoka to Manila, which is connected to the 37 domestic points in the country.
“Cebu Pacific is the most seamless and efficient way to visit the most exotic and exciting destinations in the Philippines using one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world. We challenge you to explore the Philippines and experience our brand of hospitality,” CEB Corporate Communications Director Charo Lagamon concluded.