ANOTHER Japanese technology firm is helping Davao City’a push its tourism industry further into the digital age, with the launch of a mobile-based tourist passport designed not only to give visitors easier access to promotions but also to generate data that could eventually guide the city’s transport and urban planning.
The Davao Tourism Association (Data), in partnership with Japanese technology developer scheme verge Inc., officially launched the Digital Davao Tourist Passport early this week at the SM City Davao Annex on Quimpo Boulevard, this city.
The initiative transforms the Davao Tourist Passport, first introduced as a physical booklet in November 2025, into a mobile application through Smart JAMP (Smart City supported by Japan Asean Mutual Partnership), a Japan-backed program promoting smart-city solutions in Asean.
The digital platform was developed using Horai, scheme verge’s area-management and mobility technology.
The Japanese firm describes Horai as a platform designed to help destinations and businesses use data to better understand visitor movement and improve services.
Scheme verge chief executive officer Tatsuki Yamanami said the name “Horai” combines the words “hour” and “AI,” reflecting the platform’s aim of making better use of tourists’ time.
“By using digital technology, I want to increase the movement of tourists. Many tourists spend a lot of time in transportation or just waiting. I want to change the time spent by tourists from spending just waiting for transport to spending on their joy, or their experience, or their excitement,” Yamanami said.
During the soft launch, users were given access to digital coupons that can be presented at participating establishments in Davao in exchange for discounts and special offers.
Data representative Rudolph Alama said the application currently features 47 local establishments, with more businesses expected to join as the platform expands. A full rollout is targeted before the end of the year.
Unlike the physical passport, which requires tourists to carry and present a booklet, the digital version allows visitors to access participating establishments, promotions and tourism information through their smartphones.
The system also lowers the technology barrier for small and local businesses. Participating establishments do not need to purchase specialized equipment because visitors can simply scan a printed QR code using their mobile phones.
The initiative is also intended to go beyond tourism promotions.
Developers envision the platform eventually using anonymized visitor movement and foot-traffic information to help stakeholders understand how tourists move around Davao, which attractions draw visitors and where tourism activity is concentrated.
These insights could eventually be shared with the Davao City Government and DATA to support decisions involving mobility, urban planning and the development of tourism-related spaces.
The proposed use of mobility data also aligns with Davao’s ongoing efforts to modernize public transportation. The Asian Development Bank-backed Davao Public Transport Modernization Project is designed to establish a citywide bus system, including about 1,100 modern electric and Euro 5 diesel buses, around 1,000 bus stops, intelligent transport systems and other infrastructure. The system is expected to serve about 800,000 passengers daily once fully implemented.
The developers are also looking to add an artificial intelligence-powered itinerary feature that could recommend and optimize multi-stop travel routes based on a tourist’s preferred destinations.
The planned features are consistent with Horai’s existing capabilities, which include destination discovery, travel planning, tourism information, transportation booking and digital coupons.
The digital passport is available for free on Android and iOS devices. Meanwhile, the original physical passport will remain valid during its initial one-year run, allowing visitors to use either version while the digital system is being expanded.
The initiative is another example of Japan-Philippines cooperation moving beyond infrastructure and into digital services, with Davao being positioned as a testing ground for technology that connects tourism, business, mobility and data-driven urban development.
While the immediate benefit for tourists is access to discounts and easier trip planning, its longer-term potential lies in turning tourist activity into information that businesses and city planners can use to improve how visitors experience and move around Davao. DEF
