The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) has thrown its support behind airline partners facing mounting cost pressures from volatile fuel prices, while calling on the government to provide relief measures and improve the timeliness of advisories to minimize disruption across the travel sector.
PTAA said recent passenger ticket advisories, reflecting higher fuel surcharges for domestic and international flights, underscore challenges driven largely by global fuel fluctuations beyond the industry’s control. Despite this, the group expressed confidence that market conditions could stabilize.
“We support our airline partners in implementing necessary measures to sustain operations under increasing cost pressures,” PTAA said, noting that travel agencies remain on the frontlines of assisting passengers, handling rebookings, and managing heightened price sensitivity.
The association also urged greater transparency, timely issuance of advisories, and consistent policy implementation to help agencies better serve travelers. It emphasized the need for coordinated government action to protect jobs and sustain tourism growth.
In a separate interview, PTAA President Jaison Yang proposed removing the Philippine travel tax, excise tax, and value-added tax (VAT) on airfares to ease the burden on passengers. He said making such reductions permanent could help stimulate demand and support industry recovery.
The proposals were raised during a consultative meeting convened by the Department of Tourism on March 26, where stakeholders discussed the impact of the national energy emergency on the tourism sector.
