The Philippine government should push for the inclusion of a bilateral open skies deal in the ongoing talks for a free trade agreement with Japan.
Winston Padojinog and Cherry Lyn Rodolfo, professors at the University of Asia and the Pacific, argued in their study for the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN) and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), that opening up air traffic routes between the two countries would encourage more Japanese to visit the Philippines.
Japan is a country with a total population of 126 million and with a GDP of US$4.2 trillion, seven times that of China and twice that of all the rest of Asia put together. Per capita income is US$33,333. It has a relatively large number of households earning above US$50,000 per annum.
However, the study noted that the Philippines has not been as competitive as other Southeast Asian countries in attracting the Japanese market.
Arrivals to Thailand, which is seven hours away from Japan, for instance, are almost four times than what the Philippines has captured from the 20 million Japanese outbound travel to Asia Pacific, the researchers stated.
Padojinog and Rodolfo pointed out that apart from marketing and promotions and peace and order, infrastructure is another area that needs improvement.
Winston Padojinog and Cherry Lyn Rodolfo, professors at the University of Asia and the Pacific, argued in their study for the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN) and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), that opening up air traffic routes between the two countries would encourage more Japanese to visit the Philippines.
Japan is a country with a total population of 126 million and with a GDP of US$4.2 trillion, seven times that of China and twice that of all the rest of Asia put together. Per capita income is US$33,333. It has a relatively large number of households earning above US$50,000 per annum.
However, the study noted that the Philippines has not been as competitive as other Southeast Asian countries in attracting the Japanese market.
Arrivals to Thailand, which is seven hours away from Japan, for instance, are almost four times than what the Philippines has captured from the 20 million Japanese outbound travel to Asia Pacific, the researchers stated.
Padojinog and Rodolfo pointed out that apart from marketing and promotions and peace and order, infrastructure is another area that needs improvement.
