With air deals sealed, Japan tourists seen to rise

MANILA, Philippines—The number of Japanese visitors to the Philippines may pick up over the next two years as airlines increase capacity, following successful air talks between both countries last year, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

Tourism Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon Jr. Thursday told reporters that Japanese tourists, whom he described to be among the most “sought after” markets for their higher spending power, could grow by up to 20 percent in 2014 alone.

Bengzon spoke at an event organized by the Tourism department to promote new flights being launched by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA). Also, budget airline AirAsia Zest said it was looking to launch flights to Japan within the year.

The Philippines and Japan last September agreed to increase weekly flights from 119 to 400, the Civil Aeronautics Board said. The rise in capacity may translate to about 80,000 seats a week.

“I think when you compute for the total number of new seats, the 15 to 20 percent growth is achievable,” Bengzon said.

Expanding existing and new markets is a key initiative of the DOT, which has set a target of 10 million tourist arrivals by 2016. Last year, the Philippines recorded 4.68 million visitor arrivals, up by almost ten percent.

The DOT is also anticipating an increase in traffic from Japanese visitors because they tend to spend more than the average tourist—about $150 a day on top of lodging expenses, Bengzon explained.

According to the DOT, Japanese visitors are the country’s third biggest market, with about 433,700 of them recorded in 2013. Still, South Koreans, the country’s biggest tourism market with 1.2 million visitors last year, would likely retain its leading status through 2016, Bengzon said.

“What you will see over the next couple of years is faster growth coming from Japan,” he noted.

Philippine Airlines said it had 11 daily flights to Japan, including two times a day from Manila to Haneda, the nearest air gateway to Tokyo, which would be launched on March 30.

Cebu Pacific is launching direct flights from Manila to Tokyo and Nagoya on March 30.

ANA, which has been operating in the Philippines for three years, is introducing its Manila to Haneda route also on Sunday.

The latest air deal between the Philippines and Japan was described by the CAB as “one of the most liberal increases so far” in terms of the seats obtained. Japan is said to have one one of the most protective aviation jurisdictions in the world.