"In the medium term, 60 percent of our tourists will continue to come from northeast Asia," Durano told reporters following a business forum in Manila.
In Davao City, Durano assured a bright year ahead for industry players in the city.
"Year 2007 will be a good one for the tourism industry in Davao and the Department of Tourism (DOT) will ensure that the city will get a piece of the action," he told tourism stakeholders at the opening ceremonies of the 1st Davao International Travel, Tours, Leisure & Lifestyle Exhibition or the Davao Travel Show 2007 on Friday.
Last year, Durano said South Korea narrowly beat the US as the country's top source of visitors. Japan was the third largest, while China was the fastest growing.
The Philippines aims to attract five million foreign visitors by 2010.
Durano said the latest data show that tourism accounts for less than 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). The goal is to raise that to 5 percent by 2010.
Spending a daily average of $90 a day per visitor, tourism last year injected about $2.7 billion into the economy, Durano said.
He also expressed optimism in the position of Davao as the next tourism destination in the Asean region as two direct inbound and outbound flights are slated to begin this year.
Durano made mention of the flights connecting the city directly with Hong Kong, China and Inchon, South Korea.
He expressed support to the full liberalization of air routes in the city, saying it is one way to boost tourism industry in the region.
Meanwhile, tourism committee chair Councilor Susabel Reta said the Davao Travel Show 2007 is another boost to the tourism industry.
"The mere presence of the exhibitors from the various places shows that there is nothing wrong with Davao City," Reta said.
For Councilor Peter Laviña, the event proves the potential of the city in the tourism industry.
He also added that it is a good activity in promoting not only the city, but also the whole of Mindanao.
The Malaysian Consul, Hussein Bakar, also believes that the event promotes Davao as a strong contender as a travel and convention destination in the BIMP-Eaga sub-region.
BIMP-Eaga tourism council chair Mary Ann Montemayor expressed confidence that the exposure of Davao City through the travel shoe is a giant leap for the tourism industry and has aggressively taken its stand in gearing the city as the next travel destination.
"This is a manifestation of the good cooperation between the government and private sector in the promotion of tourism in the city," Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta told Sun.Star Davao.
She added that the event was a welcome development and an encouragement for tourists to visit the city.
