(Left to Right) Peter Harbison, chairman emeritus of CAPA-Centre for Aviation; Undersecretary Benito Bengzon of the Department of Tourism; and Steve Dicdican, general manager and chief executive officer of Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority, discuss the importance of the airport to the country’s tourism. /Irene R. Sino Cruz
CEBU CITY, Philippines–The Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is a good model for development, according to Peter Harbison, chairman emeritus of the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Centre for Aviation.
During the press conference held at the sidelines of the CAPA 2019 Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) in North Asia Summit, Harbison recognized MCIA’s potential to boost tourism in the country.
“We’ve also seen Mactan airport as truly a model for development in this region. And it’s a great addition to the infrastructure and also an important potential for helping to create greater access to the Philippines for tourism,” Harbison said.
With the present congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, he emphasized the importance of having alternative airports, which are able “to grow and to provide full, quality international service to the traveling public.”
Reading from a prepared speech of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon also recognized the importance of the MCIA.
“The airport will serve as the premier gateway to the Visayas and will connect Cebu to the rest of the Philippines and to the world,” Bengzon said.
He noted that MCIA currently has airlinks to 25 international destinations, 30 domestic destinations and caters to 26 partner air carriers.
“Tourists will now have better access to the pristine beaches and beautiful islands of Cebu where they can enjoy history, nature, culture and cuisine,” Bengzon said.
He recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte had called MCIA as the “most beautiful airport in the country” during the inauguration of the new terminal last year.
The new MCIA international terminal had also impressed many travelers for its unique design and quality service. It has even gained recognition from CAPA as the Regional Airport of the Year in 2016 and as the Medium Airport of the Year in 2018, said Steve Dicdican, general manager and chief executive officer of Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA).
“Words cannot express the deep and lasting impact that these recognitions have made on the Philippine aviation industry and the national economy,” Dicdican said.
He also noted that the airport has grown considerably in the past few years.
“From having under seven million passengers per annum in 2014, we had over 11.3 million passengers pass through our gateway in 2018,” Dicdican said. This showed that MCIA had posted a 13 percent growth year on year, he said, adding that the airport had more than doubled the number of international passengers.
“We hope that it would be both an international and domestic hub. That is our strategic direction we are taking,” Dicdican said./dcb