The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) is preparing to initiate bilateral air service negotiations with several key tourism markets, including Japan, India, Thailand, and potentially the United States, within the year.
CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla confirmed that the Philippines has formally requested air talks with these countries as part of its efforts to expand air connectivity and stimulate inbound tourism.
“We hope it will happen this year,” Arcilla said in a statement.
The Philippine air services negotiating panel, tasked with these discussions, is composed of officials from the CAB, Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Transportation, Department of Foreign Affairs, Clark International Airport Corp., and representatives from local airlines.
The proposed air talks come as the Philippines seeks to build on rising arrivals from key markets, while addressing sluggish numbers from others. According to DOT data, visitor arrivals from Japan reached 132,500 in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 18.14 percent year-on-year. U.S. arrivals also showed strong growth at 331,049, up 8.99 percent from the same period last year.
However, tourist numbers from India and Thailand dipped slightly. Indian arrivals stood at 29,456, down 2.08 percent, while Thai arrivals declined marginally by 0.33 percent to 15,578 in Q1 2025.
With these figures in mind, aviation and tourism officials aim to negotiate expanded air entitlements that could help stimulate travel from underperforming markets and sustain momentum in stronger ones.
The CAB’s move aligns with the broader goal of enhancing regional air connectivity under ASEAN frameworks, while strengthening bilateral links with long-haul partners like the U.S.
