PH courts Australian tourists as flights increase

 

MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is ramping up the promotion of Philippine destinations to the Australian market amid the expected increase in flight frequencies between the two countries this month.

On the sidelines of the 24th World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Perth on Oct. 9, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco called on Filipino community leaders and the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) to unite in promoting Philippine tourism among Australians.

“Our quest to establish the Philippines as a premier global destination is not merely a pursuit in and of itself. It is a shared commitment to showcasing the beauty, culture, traditions, and spirit of our nation,” she said at the DOT and APBC-hosted Love the Philippines: Tourism and Travel Forum.

“It is through the unwavering partnership and united effort of all of us here today that we can elevate the Philippines to its rightful place on the world stage,” she added.

Beginning Oct. 27, Philippine Airlines (PAL) will have daily flights between Manila and Brisbane and vice versa.

Krystle Ramirez-Gastrock, PAL area manager for Australia, said it will expand the total weekly flights between Australia and the Philippines to 22 non-stop connections across four cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

“This represents a 22-percent increase in frequency compared to our normal pre-pandemic operations, making us the airline with the widest network of flights between Australia and the Philippines,” she said in the same forum.

Australia is a vital source of tourist arrivals, with nearly 200,000 Australians visiting the Philippines as of Oct. 7.

It ranks as the fifth largest source market for Philippine tourism.

On average, Frasco said Australians spend nearly 13 nights in the Philippines, exploring the islands and indulging in Filipino food.

“[I]t is no surprise then that over 62 percent of visitors from Australia are repeat tourists. This reflects what we know to be true: Once you experience the Philippines, you will always yearn to comeback. Not just for the breathtaking scenery, but for the people who make your visit feel like coming home,” she said.

Gastronomy tourism

At the summit, Frasco showcased the country’s push for sustainable gastronomy tourism.

As a panelist in the session titled “What is the Vintage?: The Role of Food and Wine Tourism,” Frasco highlighted the development of a Philippine food and gastronomy tourism roadmap that is aligned with cultural and creative tourism.

She said that plan is being crafted through wide-ranging consultations with regions and stakeholders to ensure that it is inclusive not only for end-users but most importantly, for farmers, producers, local artisans, chefs, cooks, and the like.

When asked how the Philippines and its efforts can contribute to moving the entire tourism industry forward in a structured, inclusive, and well-planned manner, Frasco emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration.

“[G]overnment and the private sector participation and collaboration is absolutely crucial in a sense that we in government recognize our role to ensure that we foment a climate for gastronomy tourism to thrive, whether it’s in building infrastructure, increasing connectivity or revising regulations to make it friendlier for investors, as well as more considerate for our local farmers and suppliers,” she said.

“In addition, for us, it’s about empowering communities. And so in the Philippines, we have made a very great effort to work with our local government units across the country,” she shared.

Three of the Philippines’ top destinations recently emerged as culinary tourism powerhouses.

Angeles City was recognized as Asia’s Best Emerging Culinary City Destination at the World Culinary Awards while Bacolod City was declared the Slow Food Hub for Asia Pacific, with the country set to host the Terra Madre Asia Pacific activation in November 2025.

Read related story here: Bacolod City gears up for hosting of Terra Madre Asia-Pacific in 2025

Meanwhile, Iloilo City was named a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Creative City for Gastronomy in 2022, further solidifying the Philippines’ position on the global culinary map.

The WTTC Global Summit is a premier international platform, gathering influential leaders from across the travel and tourism sector to promote collaboration and share insights into the future of global tourism.

With the theme “Ancient Land, New Perspectives,” the 24th WTTC Global Summit showcased Australia’s rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, with Perth presented as a dynamic and cosmopolitan coastal city. (PNA)