QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Department of Tourism – National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) announced on Tuesday that layover tours will soon be available to local and foreign tourists transiting through Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). This initiative aims to boost the Philippines as a major tourism destination in Asia.
During the 7th episode of Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas media forum, DOT-NCR Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin revealed that the airport transit tour will be launched in collaboration with various national government agencies.
The project has been benchmarked against similar successful programs at Incheon Airport in South Korea and Changi Airport in Singapore.
(DOT-NCR Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin during the 7th episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas)
“We brought the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs], Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine National Police, [DOT] Central Office and DOT-NCR to these two major airports to see how they do their transit tours. We’re happy to announce that we will be launching it soon,” said Director Zabala-Batin.
“This is soon to be launched as promised by the Secretary in February,” she added.
In February 2024, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco unveiled the government’s plan to launch such project , a first in the Philippines featuring the Hop-on, Hop-off bus tour between the cities of Pasay and Paranaque.
“For the very first time, mayroon tayong, in the works na ngayon, na layover tours para sa ating mga layover or transit passengers (we have in the works now layover tours for our layover or transit passengers),” Secretary Frasco said in an interview.
“We’re very hopeful na isa na naman ito sa mga innovations na ma-introduce natin para mabigyan ang Pilipinas ng added competitive edge to become Asia’s tourism powerhouse (that this will be another innovation that will give Philippines a cutting edge to become Asia’s tourism powerhouse),” she added.
What are layover tours?
Layover or airport transit tours are tours organized by airports and tour operators recognizing the predicament of having five to twelve hours of layover.
These tours offer passengers a chance to step out of the airport and stretch out their legs by immersing themselves in the local culture, historical and tourist attractions.
Some airports that offer layover tours are Changi Airport (SIN) in Singapore, Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, South Korea, Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, Qatar, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport located in Taipei, Istanbul Airport in Turkey, and Narita International Airport found in Tokyo, Japan.
The Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas media forum in Metro Manila is a project of the Presidential Communications Office and the Philippine Information Agency-National Capital Region. (JVD/PIA-NCR)
