AIRLINES, hotels and tour operators should consider offering seat sales and promos to spur domestic tourism and cushion the blow of a potential slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak that started in China, an official said Monday.
Tourism undersecretary Art Boncato Jr. said the government agency is coordinating with airlines to come up with promotions that will entice domestic travelers.
“We encourage all our stakeholders coming from airlines, hotels and travel trade to look at steps in really stirring the market and part of this would be several airline seat sales, packaged promotions,” Boncato said.
“We are coordinating with airlines to cushion the effect of COVID is to come up with airline year-long promotions similar to multi-destination passes at the very least,” he said.
The same value added promotions are being considered to boost foreign tourist arrivals this year, he said.
Philippine tourism lost about P14.8 billion in February, as tourists postpone travel plans due to fears of contracting the virus, Boncato earlier said in a Senate panel.
Government units with approved budgets should consider “moving around the Philippines” for meetings and engagements to stir domestic tourism, he said. (ABS-CBN)
