Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Nelson S. Legacion urged government agencies to address the rising cost of domestic air travel, warning that expensive inter-island flights are quietly undermining Philippine tourism despite increased spending on promotions.

In a statement Thursday, Legacion said the country has missed its international tourism targets for two consecutive years, a trend he attributed not to weak marketing but to poor accessibility and affordability.

“For many Filipino families today, a flight-and-hotel package to a nearby Asian destination can be cheaper than flying to our own islands,” Legacion said. “Tourism cannot grow sustainably if the basic act of getting there becomes a luxury.”

The lawmaker noted that while tourism remained resilient and contributed nearly nine percent of gross domestic product in 2024, foreign arrivals fell short of official targets.

The Department of Tourism aimed for 7.7 million international visitors in 2024 but ended the year with 5.9 million. Arrivals eased further in 2025, prompting the agency to scale down its 2026 goal.

Legacion said the figures call for “honest reflection, not finger-pointing,” adding that marketing alone cannot overcome structural barriers such as high airfares and limited connectivity.

He acknowledged the expanded promotional push by the Department of Tourism, whose 2026 promotions budget has risen to ₱1.3 billion, but argued that promotion is no longer the binding constraint.

“DOT cannot market its way out of a transport problem,” he said.

Legacion called on the Department of Transportation to take a more central role, noting that airline ticket prices are shaped by fuel surcharges, airport passenger service charges, regulatory fees and limited inter-island routes.

“Travellers do not budget for base fares. They budget for total travel cost,” he said, warning that unpredictable or excessive prices weaken demand, shorten stays and hurt regional economies.

He pointed to emerging warning signs, including softer arrivals from South Korea, sluggish recovery from China, airport congestion and frequent baggage delays that erode traveler confidence.

To address the issue, Legacion proposed the creation of a Domestic Travel Affordability Task Force bringing together the Department of Tourism, the Department of Transportation, aviation regulators and airport operators to reduce total travel costs on priority tourism routes.

“Lowering tourism targets may reflect realism, but it must not signal resignation,” Legacion said. “In an archipelago like ours, tourism is not just about destinations. It is about access. And access begins with the price of a ticket.”