[ Manila Bulletin Online ] July 18, 2008
By MALOU M. MOZO
Third Chinese airline to start its direct flights on July 22
CEBU CITY — The Department of Tourism (DoT) considers the mounting of more direct international flights from target markets as a short-term priority to boost the tourism industry in Cebu.
This statement was made by Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano who announced the entry of Shanghai Airlines for regular chartered flights -- two to three times weekly -- direct to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport beginning July 22.
This will cater to some 1,000 to 1,200 tourists from mainland China every month, he said.
Shanghai Airlines’ hub of operations is at the Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (SPIA), which is located in the eastern part of Pudong district, Shanghai, China.
Durano said he has gotten word from Shanghai Airlines that its chartered flights to Cebu are fully booked in the next six months.
He said Shanghai Airlines will be the third airline company that will operate chartered flights to Cebu from mainland China, following the entry of China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.
In 2007, China Southern Airlines started its direct flight to Cebu with four chartered and regular direct and indirect flights from Shanghai every week.
"These regular chartered operations will sustain the double-digit growth of foreign arrivals in Cebu," Durano told the press yesterday during his visit to the Banilad Center for Professional Development.
To show foreign markets’ interest in Cebu as an emerging tourism destination in Asia, Durano cited official DoT data which indicated an 11 percent growth in foreign arrivals here, "higher than the national growth of seven percent."
In Asia, countries like China, Korea, Japan and India are considered to be top market priorities of the Philippines.
Durano said the tourism sector is also determined to capitalize on the fast growing tourism markets in New Delhi and Mumbai, both in India.
A direct India-Cebu route will significantly increase traffic of Indian tourists who come to the province for leisure, he said.
Durano said that although DoT is now currently negotiating with national carrier Philippine Airlines for a direct Philippines-India route, noting the scheduled arrival of the latter’s new Boeing 777 aircraft next year.
In helping attract more European tourists to Cebu, Durano said the Department of Transportation and Communications has increased the seat frequency of the Doha,Qatar-Cebu route.
International airline company Qatar Airways which opened the direct Doha-Cebu route now has a 90 percent load factor, he said, attributing it to the increase of European visitors coming to the province.
Durano said the top tourist markets in Europe include Russia, 34 percent; Scandinavia, 22 percent; and France, 20 percent.
However, the lack of international flights to Cebu is one of the factors that hamper the growth of the tourism industry in the province, and this has made it less attractive to foreign tourists compared to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
