THE recently revived direct air link between Davao and Manado, Indonesia took off to a rousing start with over P1 million in negotiated sales generated during a joint tourism business matching meeting organized to help boost viability of Garuda Indonesia's foray into Mindanao.
Department of Tourism 11 and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) announced that a total of P1.344 million in negotiated sales was recorded during the Davao (PH) – Manado (IND) Joint Tour Packaging Workshop and Business Matching held recently at Park Inn by Radisson Hotel.
“This sale is accumulated out of Davao-General Santos tours and hotel accommodation bookings in Davao during the business matching,” said DOT 11 Tourism Operations Officer Kervin Kyle Elijay who handled the activity.
In a statement, DOT Assistant Secretary for Mindanao Myra Paz Abubakar lauded the
initial success of the tourism business matching and commended those who participated in the event.
“My best wishes and congratulations to all. This is a very good development for the Philippines and the BIMP-Eaga region. I hope that other airline companies will also see the potential of flights coming to and from Mindanao,” said Asec. Abubakar, who is also the Philippine-EAGA Tourism Cluster National Coordinator.
MinDA, as the Philippine Coordinating Office for BIMP-EAGA (PCOBE), also expressed its gratitude to the DOT 11 and local tourism industry players for achieving such tourism sale for the region.
“This is a promising initial result of the revival of the Davao-Manado air connectivity. Let us work together, all Philippine-Eaga lead agencies, in creating economic activities that will spur more tourist arrivals between the two areas," MinDa Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro said.
“We have to collectively do our part for the sustainability of the route,” he added.
As a proactive response to the visit of the ASITA-Manado Chapter in Davao, DOT 11 plans of visiting Manado in November, and bring the Davao tour operators for an exchange tourism market matching with their Indonesian counterparts.
MinDA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol emphasized that the air link strengthens the position of Davao as gateway to Asean, boosting investment and tourism potentials of Mindanao and North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Piñol is also proposing for a two-day business and trade matching this October 28-29 in Manado as follow through to allow Mindanao agribusiness leaders to engage with their counterparts in North Sulawesi for potential export of fruits like durian, mango, mangosteen, and other products such as dressed chicken, poultry and vegetables. (PR)