By Maricyn A. de los Santos/PNS
Iloilo is ready to accept international flights, especially when all sectors that will benefit from this economic and tourism endeavor are cooperating to make the city and province debut to the world, said Department of Tourism OIC Regional Director.
The DOT, together with other concerned agencies and stakeholders, are busy preparing for the two international maiden flights that will start in the last week of October or in the first week of November, this year.
Catalbas, in an interview during the 1st anniversary of Majestic Dolphin Travel Agency, Inc. at John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University – Molo Campus, said these regular passenger flights are Iloilo to Hongkong and vice versa and Iloilo to Singapore and vice versa.
“Iloilo to Hongkong will fly four times a week and Iloilo to Singapore will fly three times a week,” she said.
Aside from these international flights, Catalbas said Iloilo Airport will also accommodate two additional domestic flights bound to General Santos City in Davao and Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
“So tourist bound to Davao and Palawan can connect their flights in Singapore and Hongkong should they not want to connect their flights from Manila,” she said.
But we will not stop from being a “stopover” only, she stressed.
Catalbas said they target to make the Iloilo Airport a “hub” where tourists can enjoy various facilities suited to their needs.
“The tourism sector of Iloilo should be ready to accommodate this expected influx of tourists,” she said and added that there should be enough rooms to accommodate them, good transportation to bring them to their chosen destination, secure them, among others.
Catalbas said the DOT already started training “tourism frontliners” such as taxi drivers “because the make the first and lasting impression to our tourists.”
“We already started with the training of IT personnel and tourism officers of every town on the use of Google Map, so, they can familiarize themselves with the streets, locations, major landmarks, tourism facilities, among others, in Iloilo,” she said.
Melanie Ortega, chairman of Iloilo Tour Guide’s Cooperative, said that in cooperation with the DOT, they are willing to brief taxi drivers on “tourism culture,” so, they are ready with these expected influx of tourists come October or November.
“We should teach them not only on proper dealing with tourists but also in terms of grooming, hygiene, keeping their units clean, among others,” she said.
They should also familiarize themselves with streets, locations, landmarks, “because we don’t want them saying to tourists ‘they don’t know the place they are looking for.”
The DOT is set to meet with the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, taxi operators, tour operators and tour guides to discuss the provision of key tourism needs in the province.
“We have to prepare the security, transportation as well as the physical setup and needs of airport facilities such as customs, quarantine, among others,” she explained.
Asked if Iloilo is ready to these international flights, she said “Iloilo is ready, especially when there will be sustained cooperation among stakeholders and concerned government agencies.”
Meanwhile, Catalbas lauded the Majestic Dolphin Travel Agency, Inc. for its efforts to promote “inbound tourism” which helps in the increased tourist arrivals in Western Visayas.
“Inbound tours attract visitors to the region, it means people from other places are lured to tour our very own tourism spots and destinations,” she explained.
The Majestic Dolphin Travel Agency, Inc., with their effort to attract inbound tourists, is our great partner in creating jobs, promoting tourism, increasing tourist arrivals as well as in attracting investments to the city and province of Iloilo, and to the region as well, she concluded.