Frasco to iron out deals with Indian airline players

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his State Visit to India to finalize the launch of direct flights between New Delhi and Manila, as well as co-marketing plans with tourism stakeholders.

According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), Secretary Frasco will meet with executives and stakeholders from India’s aviation sector, including flag carrier Air India and India’s largest budget airline, IndiGo. She will also engage with stakeholders from hotels, resorts, accommodations, and travel companies.

The DOT also mentioned that Secretary Frasco will explore "co-marketing opportunities" with India.

In June, the Indian Embassy announced that Air India will launch its non-stop flights between Manila and Delhi on 1 October 2025, boosting visitor arrivals from the highly sought-after Indian market.

The planned flights will operate for both Filipino and Indian passengers on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, using Air India’s Airbus A321neo aircraft.

The Philippines had earlier introduced visa-free entry for Indian tourists for up to 14 days.

Other meetings

Apart from discussions with India’s aviation sector, Secretary Frasco is scheduled to meet with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), one of India’s most prominent non-government business groups, to explore strategies to increase Indian visitors to the Philippines and promote Filipino tourism to India.

Additionally, the tourism secretary will meet with the National Film Development Corporation Limited (NFDC), an Indian film production company, to explore potential areas of collaboration.

During his departure from Villamor Air Base on Monday, President Marcos Jr. said there is substantial potential for cooperation with India, which will mutually benefit both countries’ people.

“We intend to explore these opportunities by charting a plan of cooperation across a broad spectrum of shared interests, from defense to trade, investment, health, pharmaceuticals, connectivity, agriculture, tourism, and many other areas,” the President said.

“In the lead-up to this visit, we have already announced our grant of visa-free privileges for Indian travelers, which we expect will boost our tourism-related industries and further enhance mutual understanding and benefits,” he added.

The tourism industry has been pushing for the launch of direct flights to tap into the large Indian outbound market and offset the decrease in Chinese inbound travelers.

Around 79,000 Indian visitors traveled to the Philippines in 2024, marking a 12 percent growth compared to the previous year.