Monday, February 19, 2007 Sriwijaya Air launches Davao-Manado tour
MANADO CITY -- In its bid to promote Davao-Manado route as a key trade and tourism destination, Sriwijaya Air launches Monday a weeklong familiarization tour for local travel and tour operators both from Davao City and Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia which will give them a glimpse of the culture, adventure and nature sites in both areas.
Organized by Psalms Haven Travel and Tours, the appointed general sales agent of Sriwijaya Air in Davao, the familiarization trip in Manado will run from February 19-23 and in Davao City on February 23-26.
According to the Mindanao Economic Council (Medco), the Manado familiarization tour brings some 28 Davao travel agents to Manado's premier resorts, Manado's Bunaken National Park for a sightseeing and snorkeling tour, Minahasa Highland and other interesting places such as the Wolloan Village, Tondano Lake, and Pulutan Village.
The tour will also include visits to Maumbi Village, Airmadidi coconut and nutmeg processing place and Tarsius Zoo at Naemundung Tandurusa.
The group is expected to meet with Walanda Maramis, the first Indonesian women rights leader.
Some 25 Manado travel agents will also be arriving in Davao City on February 23 for the Davao Fam Tour, which highlights visits to the city's historical places, nature park as well as participation during the opening of the Davao Travel and Lifestyle Show, which showcases various tourism products of the different tourism industry exhibitors not only from Mindanao but also coming from Visayas and Luzon.
Sriwijaya Air is the newest Indonesian airline that flies direct Davao-Manado route on a twice a week flight frequency.
The Jakarta-based airline uses Boeing 737-200 to provide an alternate service for the Davao-Manado route, which is currently being served by
Merpati Airlines.
Sriwijaya flies every Monday and Thursday, arriving in Davao City at 10 a.m., and leaving for Manado at 10:45 a.m.
The airline can accommodate 124 passengers and can carry cargo up to 3.5 tons in weight.
Sriwijaya's additional flight for Davao-Manado route has been strongly welcomed by local officials, business and tourism players in both areas as it has paved the way for more business and tourism traffic between Mindanao and North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The cities of Davao and Manado have been closely linked through the initiatives of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) cooperation.
Traveling now from Mindanao and Palawan to any area in Bimp-Eaga has been encouraging especially since that the Philippine government has revived last year the granting of Bimp-Eaga Travel tax exemption running through September 2008.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last year signed Memorandum Order No. 223, which extends the period of exemption from payment of travel tax to all Eaga-bound passengers originating from international seaports in Mindanao and Palawan, as well as international airports in the Philippines, provided they originate from Mindanao or Palawan.
