With the opening of more direct flights to Singapore, more Davaoenos travelled to this preferred destination.
Sherina Chan, assistant director of Singapore Tourism Board (Philippines and Brunei), said the additional direct flights contribute to the increase of Filipino travelers.
Chan said Davao City now has eight direct flights to Singapore on a weekly basis although this is way below from Cebu’s 22 and Manila with 122 flights every week.
She said Philippines ranked sixth in the 2011 International Arrivals Performance from its previous rank at eighth. Ranking first was Indonesia followed by People’s Republic of China, Malaysia, Australia and India. In 2008, it (Philippines) ranked 10th.
In 2011, Chan said Philippines registered about 678,000 Filipino tourists as against the 2010 figure with only 584,000.
She said Philippines is the third fastest growing market of Singapore and she attributed this to the positive economic sentiment of the country that is why people have more disposable income as well as the development of numerous tourism products.
“The increase in flights especially so that more low cost carriers have direct flights to Singapore contributed to the growth,” she said.
Chan also said Filipinos in Singapore are their ambassadors and some 160,000 Filipinos living and working in their country.
“What they experienced in Singapore were passed on to their families back home which I think encouraged other Filipinos to see for themselves what the city could offer,” she added.
Based on a random survey they conducted among Filipinos, Chan said are shopping, entertainment and food (chicken rice especially).
Overall, tourist arrivals and spending hit new record in 2011 as Singapore welcomed 13.2 million tourists who spent a total of P732.6 billion or an increase of 17 percent year-on-year.
The various business and lifestyle events throughout the year also played a part in attracting foreign visitors spending.
Meanwhile, Chan said according to the Department of Tourism (DOT), inbound Singapore tourists are the second biggest among South East Asian countries with about 200,000 last year.
She said their main reason for their coming over are the beaches as well as Philippine geographical location with only three-and-a-half hours travel by air. [PNA]
