by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (16 March) -- Davao will soon have a Duty Free shop right at the Davao International Airport (DIA).

This was announced by Sonia Garcia, regional director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in a press briefing with Davao business reporters at SM City.

Garcia said the coming back of the Duty Free shop is an indication that there will be more arrivals.

She said these are new concessionaires that will be housed at the arrival area.

“In fact a Korean shop has already signified putting up a booth at the DIA,” she said.

Garcia meanwhile reported that tourists from East Asia still dominate the visitor coming to Davao based on the hotel occupancy report.

She said about 20,471 of them visited Davao last year composed of nationals coming from Japan, 12,997, Korea, 2,647, China, 1,924, Hong Kong, 1,773, and Taiwan, 1,080.

Those from North America accounted for 10,401 with USA contributing 9,139 and Canada, 1,262.

Visitors from the ASEAN countries numbered 3,731 consisting of Singapore, 1,143, Indonesia, 916, Malaysia, 876, Thailang, 642, Brunei, 126 and Vietnam, 28. Those from South Asia, India in particular had only about 329 visitors.

Ocenia had 1,966 with Australia numbering 1,968 and New Zealand, 222. Visitors from Europe totaled 3,602 while the Middle East from Saudi Arabia, 225. Others with unspecified residences numbered about 5,81.

“The 46,728 total foreign visitors last year is still low although our anchor still is the domestic travelers and overseas Filipino workers and balikbayans which totaled to about 519,350,” she said.

But she said that after the market is opened up to other international destinations, the possibility of increasing arrivals will be met.

She said given the demand, other airlines might consider opening up new routes where they already were given landing rights at the DIA.