Cebu needs more air routes

CEBU, Philippines – Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort and Spa general manager Raymond Bragg said that the key to promote Cebu to the international market as a premier “Island Destination” is to invite more airlines to open up new routes.

“The most important thing is airlines. Unless they get here, we can’t compete with other destinations like Bali, Kota Kinabalu and other resort destinations in Asia,” he said.

Bragg said it is important for Cebu tourism stakeholders to work closely with the airline companies, as accessibility is far more important for tourists.

Bragg said there are so many factors that need to change in Cebu, specifically in branding the island as a “Holiday Destination.”

He said Cebu is an island, it is very important that tourists will be given access to direct flights.

If there is access, increase will follow, and Cebu will be able to get a bigger chunk of the holiday vacationers around the world.

Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa for instance is now effectively attracting the Chinese market due to the strong network of Shangri-La chain worldwide, and its strong presence in China.

In the past few months, Shangri-La’s Mactan noted an average 50 percent increase of Chinese patrons, he said.

Bragg said it is good for Cebu to sustain its strength as a “Holiday Island Destination” in Asia, and that united advocacy between private sector stakeholders, in partnership with the government is very important to invite airline companies to consider Cebu for international direct flight routes.

On the other hand, the Department of Tourism (DoT) earlier announced that it would consider mounting more direct international flights from target markets as a short-term priority to boost the tourism industry in Cebu.

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.

Durano said that DoT is now currently negotiating with national carrier Philippine Airlines for a direct Philippines-India route.

To help 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.

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.—Ehda M. Dagooc