DOT6 eyeing direct flight from Iloilo to India

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After the successful launching of international flights to Hong Kong and Singapore, the Regional Office VI of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is eyeing another direct flight to India.

“The economy is booming particularly in the information technology (IT) sector. And when an economy of an originating country is booming that simply shows that their citizens have a higher capacity to travel outside,” DOT regional director, lawyer Helen J. Catalbas said.

Atty. Catalbas likewise explained that the national government through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the DOT has relaxed visa requirements where visa can now be issued upon arrival.

Indian nationals are not among the top foreign visitors of Iloilo but it is one of the fastest markets in the Philippines. She added that Iloilo has to take advantage of the “rising trend of Indian market” to the country.

A partial data of tourist arrivals in Western Visayas last year registered 2,015 Indian nationals.

Around the second week of February, the DOT will be sending tour operators and resort owners to New Delhi, India for the One World Travel Mart.

Meanwhile, passengers coming into to the Iloilo International Airport through Singapore and Hong Kong airports are increasing amid apprehensions on the sustainability of flights when it was still on the drawing table. In December 2012, a significant increase was observed as the number of passengers rose to 3,219 - 1,950 from Singapore and 1,269 from Hong Kong - as compared to data reported on November 2012 with 1,510 passengers - 562 and 948 from Hong Kong and Singapore respectively.

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