A DAVAO Travel Agencies Association, Inc. (DTAAI) official said the local government and private sector must work together to keep up with tourism demands and boost arrivals to the city.
DTAAI president Gian Caguiat said while the city is already implementing an “open sky policy,” the lack of diverse tourism destinations is apparent.
To note, the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) registered 1.8 million visitors in 2024. While it is 50% higher than 1.2 million in 2023, it did not surpass the 2019 numbers, which had the highest record of tourist arrivals with 2.5 million.
While tourist arrivals significantly increased, improvements in tourism-related establishments have become “stagnant.”
“As much as we want to sell Davao City, is there anything that we can offer, para ma entice yung mga incoming dito sa city,” Caguiat said.
Aside from the usual festivals, Caguiat stressed the private sector and the government should work “double time” as it is at risk of being surpassed by Mati City in Davao Oriental after recently breaking ground on its new airport.
“The role of the city government is to entice the private sector to create more spots, they have to provide the private sector additional bonuses, tax holidays, or incentives so that they will be encouraged,” Caguiat stressed.
When asked about the viability of the city’s proposed development of a theme park in Marilog District, he said this is possible. However, the attraction must pass the standard of the themed park in Manila and Cebu.
“Kasi kung so so lang, we can just invite nearby provinces. It’s still considered tourism, however, it’s just a drive away,” he said.
The official recommended exploring a city streets tour activity in the downtown area, particularly along the vicinity of San Pedro Street, Magallanes, and C.M. Recto to immerse visitors in local history and culture.
