The Philippines Government is set to upgrade 12 airports across the country in a move to improve tourism by attracting 10 million foreign tourists by 2016.
Three of the planned airport projects will require an investment of about PHP54.6bn ($1.2bn), with cost of the other airports yet to be finalised.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines executive director Cosette Canilao suggested that half of the planned projects will be carried out through the PPP scheme.
The operations and maintenance of the airports could be bundled into one tender, which will be floated later this year, Canilao added.
According to transportation undersecretary Rene Limcaoco, the government has considered building a new terminal for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila.
Limcaoco said that the upgrades would “ease our logistic costs, alleviate our traffic congestion and support the target of the department of tourism to achieve its 10 million tourists for 2016”.
Other projects to be upgraded include the Puerto Princesa Airport on Palawan island, southwest of Manila; and Clark International Airport in Pampanga, located north of the city.
Limcaoco said that the planned upgrade projects will help reduce logistic costs, ease traffic congestion, while helping department of tourism to achieve its target of 10 million tourists by 2016.
Acoording to state data, the Philippines attracted 4.7 million foreign tourists in 2013; 300,000 less than its target.
