The Department of Tourism 11 (DOT 11) is keeping watch on the local tourism industry as the global fuel crisis begins to impact traveler volume and operational costs across the region.
DOT Regional Director Tanya Rabat-Tan confirmed on Wednesday that Davao Region is not immune to the international economic pressures currently reshaping travel habits.
According to Rabat-Tan, the increase in fuel prices has led to a noticeable decline in visitor arrivals as travelers become more cautious with their spending.
“Davao Region is affected just like the other regions because we are also sharing situations with the others and it is not specific to Philippines. Maraming affected. We are closely monitoring our different sectors particularly coming from the accommodations, MICE venues, tour operators. We’ve really seen numbers go down,” Rabat-Tan said in Wednesdays Habi at Kape.
Rabat-Tan said the hospitality sector has felt the brunt of this shift, reporting a mix of cancellations and cautious participation.
She said while the recent Holy Week season saw a fair amount of activity, she noted that the volume did not reach the heights of previous peak seasons.
“May cancelations on group pre-booking in hotels but meron naman din nag pursue. Na notice natin na Holy Week we saw high ang volume but not as high as before but meron pa naman din movement. While manageable we are still affected,” she explained.
Rabat-Tan emphasized that despite the slump in general leisure travel, the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector remains a significant bright spot for the region.
She said for the month of April, major convention venues have reported no major cancellations for pre-booked events, providing a critical buffer for the local economy.
“But for this month of April, we’ve coordinated with our big venues and so far no cancelations yung mga pre-book na conventions. May konting ano lang sa number of attendees but tuloy yung mga conventions and conferences this month of April. We’re really happy to hear that,” Rabat-Tan added.
She said that the agency’s primary motivation in keeping the industry active is the protection of local jobs.
She stressed that the survival of the sector is directly linked to the survival of the many workers who depend on tourism activities.
“We are hoping in the midst of this crisis we’re hoping for tourism to continue because we know many livelihoods depend sa mga tourism activities natin,” she said.
Rabat-Tan added that DOT 11 is shifting its focus toward high-value business travel and aggressive capacity building To counter the current slowdown.
She said the regional office plans to continue its rollout of industry trainings, strengthen its digital presence, and conduct rigorous product development validations to ensure Davao Region remains a competitive destination despite the volatile economic climate.
