THE Department of Tourism-Davao Region (DOT-Davao) is hoping that airline companies would address problems that resulted in the disruption and cancellation of domestic and international flights.
"When there are delays and cancellations, we're very much affected, not just in tourism but lahat na," DOT-Davao Director Tanya Rabat-Tan said in a press conference Tuesday, June 27.
The Senate, spearheaded by the committees on tourism and on public services, recently held a senate hearing to investigate the frequent flight delays and cancellations that have forced passengers to wait for hours in the airport or, in some cases, on the tarmac.
The hearing was prompted by a resolution filed by Sen. Nancy Binay, who chairs the tourism panel, on complaints against Cebu Pacific about overbooking, offloading, and glitches in booking flights.
Rabat-Tan said DOT officials were also invited to the hearing.
She said the department recognizes the issues that the airline companies brought up during the hearing.
She added that the challenges in air travel are also being experienced globally.
"We really hope they can improve," she said.
"I think this is [a] global situation because of the delays and the engine delivery, but we hope they can address that so everything can be normalized again," she added.
Davao City Tourism Operations Office head Jennifer Romero also hoped that these issues should be resolved.
Romero said the problems might be brought about by the "post-pandemic effect" brought about by the normalization of operations following the lifting of the strict Covid-19 restrictions on air travel.
"It's really a concern," she said.
With the approaching Kadayawan festival in August, Romero said they are optimistic this won't affect their target tourists.
She said the city government is aiming to achieve a number of tourist arrivals in 2019 for the 38th Kadayawan festival this August at 250,000.
As for additional direct international flights to the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao International Airport), Rabat-Tan said they are continuously lobbying for additional flights.
Although that is still under discussion.
"Ayaw lang natin i-preempt..., but we're hoping na mabalik natin [previous international flights]," the DOT-Davao official said. RGL