(Boatloads of tourists at Dayang Beach, Talicud Island, Island Garden City of Samal)
TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte (PIA) — Davao del Norte is expected to have earned P2.5 billion in receipts from tourist arrivals in Davao del Norte.
Davao del Norte Provincial tourism Officer, Dr. Noel S. Daquioag revealed this in his guesting at Sayron Ta! Pakigsayod Radio Program, during which he discussed revitalized tourism in the province.
Taking note of the national performance of tourism, Daquioag said tourist arrivals in Davao del Norte showed a parallel increase in number of visitors and in tourist receipts.
From 370,687 tourist arrivals in 2023, Davao del Norte registered 634,791 covering just three quarters of 2024, bringing in P2.22 billion worth of estimated tourist receipts.
“That’s just three quarters of the year. Siguro umabot na sa P2.5 billion the whole year,” Dr. Daquiaog said.
Though this figure is way below the Philippines tourist receipts of about P760.50 billion in 2024, Davao del Norte has been a consistent second biggest contributor to the regional tourist arrival performance of Davao Region, next to Davao City, he said.
Meanwhile, Samal ranked ninth among the top tourist destinations in the country. Tagged as the “face of DavNor in tourism,” Samal contributed 55.9 percent to the total tourist arrivals of Davao del Norte, Daquiaog said.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has seen the potential of the Island Garden City of Samal as “the biggest island resort” of the country, and Dr. Daquiaog was looking at the future huge influx of tourists to Samal.
Aside from Samal for tours, Dr. Daquioag looked at the potential of the three Davao del Norte cities of Tagum, Panabo, and Samal as a trio destination for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE).
“These are captured markets for tours,” he said, referring to participants to MICE.
Despite the dearth in facilities to host MICE, Davao del Norte is positioned as a tour destination for participants of MICE mostly held in Davao City. Daquioag said his office with DOT XI had organized and strengthened the ranks of tour operators in Davao del Norte to handle tour packages.
Daquiaog also saw the need for more international flights as one of the major means of connecting local tours with international markets.
He pitched for tourism investments in Davao del Norte, which he said still lacks hotel rooms, convention facilities, and theme parks, among others.
He looked at the possibility of a “Tourism Investment Conference” that will be hosted by Davao del Norte in 2025 to generate investment interests focused on the tourism sector. (JMDA, PIA Davao)
