BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Philippines is seeking direct flights between this Brunei capital and Clark and Cebu to lure more visitors to areas outside Metro Manila, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the DOT in collaboration with the Department of Transportation would discuss how to increase direct flights between Brunei and the Philippines.
“We do have our local carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific that already fly and there is Royal Brunei Airlines,” Frasco said on the sidelines of the Philippine Business Forum here. “Our goal is for the connectivity to reach not just Manila, but also tourism destinations such as Cebu and Clark.”
Frasco said the Philippines is discussing with its Southeast Asian neighbors, including Brunei, to expand their tourism portfolio.
On Tuesday, the Philippines and Brunei signed a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation. The MOU aims to generate cooperative tourism projects, increase tourist arrivals and support niche tourism development, specifically Islamic tourism, as well as promote Muslim-friendly destinations.
The agreement covers collaborations to expand halal and Muslim-friendly tourism. Last year, the DOT recorded 6,639 visitor arrivals from Brunei.