DOT hopes to bring more tourists from UAE, Turkey

January 1, 2023 | 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) wants more tourists from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey to visit the country.

In a previous statement, the transport ministry said it was “lobbying for increased flights from Dubai to Manila and vice versa”, referring to the UAE’s largest city.

Tourism Minister Cristina García-Flasco met Sarah Brooks, senior manager of the UAE’s flag carrier Emirates.

During the meeting, Brooks said the airline could add 18 weekly scheduled flights to and from Dubai to its schedule.

“Brooks highlighted the great potential for inbound tourism in the country, as more tourists view the Philippines as an ideal destination for holidays and vacations and hope they will be able to add scheduled flights to the current 18 weekly flights,” points Say.

Frasco “understands the need and urgency to ensure the well-being of airline operators.”

Meanwhile, the DOT chief also announced that the agency is “committed to renewing” its partnership with Turkish Airlines.

Airline executives, led by Turkish Airlines general manager Huzeyfe Akhan, also met with Frasco, with the company aiming “to get the support they can get from the tourism industry so that they can operate regular flights to and from Cebu.”

The airline is currently servicing flights from Istanbul to Manila and vice versa, DOT said, “some of their aircraft are temporarily serving Cebu International Airport.”

It added that a total of 4,440 Turkish tourists and 1,628 Emirati tourists flew into the country from February, when the borders reopened, to November this year.