Gov't expecting more Chinese tourists with opening of new flights

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government is expecting more Chinese tourists as China's Xiamen Air is set to open direct flights to the country, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today.

The department, quoting a Philippine consul in China, said Xiamen Air will have direct flights covering Xiamen-Manila and Quanzhou-Manila regular routes commencing next month.

The two Chinese destinations are both major cities in China's southeastern Fujian province.

"The period is the onset of the Chinese New Year festivities in China and the Philippines and is expected to bring more Chinese tourists to the Philippines," the DFA said.

Latest data from the Department of Tourism showed that from January to October in 2014, China was the fourth largest source of tourists in the Philippines with 354,202 arrivals or a 8.95- percent share of overall traffic of 3.955 million arrivals.

Currently, the Xiamen-Manila route is being serviced by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and China Southern Airlines.

Xiamen Air, the first privately owned airline in China, is flying to other Southeast Asian cities including Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Siem Reap.