DAVAO CITY TARGETS 2.8 MILLION TOURIST ARRIVALS IN 2019

An influx of local and foreign tourists is expected in Davao City due to the series of big events that had been lined up this year.

Regina Rose Tecson, Davao City Tourism Officer, said that they are targeting 2.8 million tourist arrivals for the year 2019 to surpass the almost 2.4 million tourists arrivals in the city last year.

Tecson said that efforts to promote the city through various conventions and international events, such as the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, were being done.

“We have lined up big events starting from the DAVRAA, the Chinese New Year, Araw ng Davao, Ironman, Palarong Pambansa and a lot more,” she said.

DAVRAA or the Davao Athletics Association Meet 2019 is happening from January 27 to February 2.

Ironman, meanwhile, is happening March 24.

Tecson noted that through packaging the city as an enjoyable place to tour around and a safe place to stay helps the tourism sector of the city.

“People have already witnessed that it is safe here that is why people are coming back. Also, Dabawenyos posting good about Davao help a lot in promoting the city,” Tecson said.

Another reason for the influx of tourist arrivals is the opening of new international routes connecting Davao City to different parts of the world, such as Xiamen and Hong Kong, to name a few.

“Because of the new international routes, we have reached a 15 percent increase in (the number of) foreign tourists who visit the city, this is higher compared to the 9 to 10 percent foreign tourists arrival in 2017,” Tecson pointed out.

As the Araw ng Davao is fast approaching, Tecson is positive that they will reach their target of 2.8 million tourist arrivals. CIO