According to Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, the Philippine government is going to start a new program called "layover tours" for both domestic and foreign tourists who are going through Ninoy Aquino foreign Airport (NAIA). The Department of Tourism (DOT) is working with different groups, such as airport management, to make this news on Thursday. It means that the program might start by the second quarter of 2024.

In an interview, Frasco said that this is the first of its kind initiative that tries to improve the layover experience for transit passengers by giving them a look at the Philippines through the Philippine Hop-on Hop-off (HOHO) bus tours. The program is still being worked out, and details about how it will work for tourists who want to take short trips to Manila during their layovers are being worked out.

Frasco is optimistic about this project and sees it as a smart way to make the Philippines a more appealing tourist destination in Asia. The plan calls for adding the brand-new HOHO Pasay-Paranaque route, which is also called the Entertainment Hub Route, to the layover trips.

The HOHO Pasay-Paranaque route, which started on the same Thursday, has 13 stops that show off the best entertainment in both towns. This route comes after the opening of HOHO Business and culture Hubs in Makati and Manila, which showed how important those cities are as culture and entertainment hubs.

Major landmarks and entertainment places, such as NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3, Newport World Resorts, City of Dreams, and others, are on the Pasay and Paranaque route. These stops give you a full tour of the area's attractions.

The 13 designated bus stops in Pasay and Paranaque are as follow:

  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1, 2, and 3
  • Newport World Resorts
  • City of Dreams
  • Ayala Malls Manila Bay
  • Parqal
  • Okada Manila
  • Solaire Resort
  • Luxe Duty Free
  • MOA Main Stop
  • SMX Convention Center
  • MOA Seaside

Tourists can use a special app on their phones to access this new HOHO service and book either guided or self-guided trips. You can get this app from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to add three more HOHO hubs in 2024, each with a different theme and location in the city. This will make the Hop-On-Hop-Off Travel by the Hubs program even bigger. This project invites tourists to travel at their own pace and choose their own destinations and lengths of stay.