New Delhi, India – After a decade-long gap, the prospect of revived direct air connectivity between the Philippines and India appears poised to take flight.

A visiting Route Development Team from the Department of Tourism (DOT), backed by the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, undertook a series of meetings and other engagements with key Indian players in the airline and outbound travel sectors between 02 June and 08 June.

Leading the team were DOT Assistant Secretary Judilyn S. Quiachon and Assistant Secretary Warner M. Andrada.

With them were DOT Division Chief Ramil S. Basuel and Route Development Division Head Warren S. Palacio, and Ms. Jasmin P. Reyes. Clark International Airport’s  Traffic Development Head. 

While in New Delhi, they participate in the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) India Aviation Summit at Aero City on 5-7 June, networking with the Indian and international aviation community.

Outside of the Aviation Summit, the DOT and Embassy team met with leading Indian airlines and travel agencies with the two-fold aim of boosting Indian tourism to the Philippines, as well as restoring direct flights between the two countries.

The delegation also called on Philippine Ambassador to India Josel F. Ignacio, prior to and again towards the conclusion of their mission. Joining these meetings were Third Secretary (Economic) and Vice Consul Melissa Anne M. Telan, Commercial Counsellor Eugenio Elevado, Jr. of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC), and Economic Assistant Ethel Jane Molina. Assistant Secretary Quiachon highlighted the steady recovery of Indian tourist arrivals to the Philippines, which reached 70,286 in FY2023, a 36.4% surge from the previous year. Prior to the COVID pandemic, Indian tourism to the country was at over 130,000.

The DOT is keen for the Philippines to win over a substantial chunk of the fast-growing Indian outbound tourism market – already the largest in Asia and is seen to rise to fifth largest globally by 2027.

The Philippines’ hopes are well complemented by the Mission’s findings that Indians are already looking to the country for their travel plans.  

“The Philippines readily meets the Indian tourist traveler’s desires: beaches, nature, heritage, cityscapes, nightlife, shopping.” said Ambassador Ignacio. “We are smoothening two-way tourism, hence our unremitting work on connectivity and even visa solutions”. The Philippine Embassy introduced an e-Visa system in April.

Assistant Secretary Andrada concurs that the time has come to unlock the full potential of tourism links between the two nations, with the resumption of direct flights a representing a crucial first step. END