Tourism in Cebu gains more ground; Additional flights expected

A passenger plane at Terminal 2 of Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) | CDN Photo by Morexette Marie Erram

CEBU CITY, Philippines – As tourism in Cebu gains more ground during the first half of 2022, stakeholders here are expecting more flights connecting the island province to other destinations both locally and globally. 

Members of the travel and hospitality sector are projecting significant improvement in the industry during the third and fourth quarters of this year. 

Alfred Reyes, president of the Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC), said the reopening of South Korea and Japan would help boost arrivals and even result in mounting more international flights to Cebu. 

“Japan is expected to reopen this June and (direct flights from Cebu to) South Korea (will resume) this July… We’re slowly recovering at this point but we’re looking to really improve between the third and fourth quarters,” said Reyes. 

In a separate interview, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia also forecasted the same outcome for the province’s tourism sector, which is also considered one of its bread and butter. 

Citing the Capitol’s recent meeting with airport stakeholders, Garcia said they are expecting international air traffic to start picking up this June. 

“Domestic flights have gone up to 58 percent. Well, international flights are still below 10 percent but that is foreseen to change when there would be more flights coming in,” said Garcia.

Like Reyes, the governor pointed to the reopening of Japan and South Korea as the primary factor behind this possibility. 

Japan and South Korea are two of Cebu’s top markets when it comes to foreign arrivals. 

In the meantime, Cebu province has already dropped RT-PCR test results as a requirement for entry for tourists from abroad. 

READ: No more swab tests needed for fully vaccinated tourists with booster shots

The new rule, however, will only apply to those who have been fully vaccinated and have been administered with at least one booster dose. 

“I am very positive and optimistic that our international arrivals will soon be rapidly increasing,” said Garcia. 

Aside from flights, the governor said reservations and bookings in hotels, resorts, and other similar establishments in Cebu continue to increase during the first six months of 2022. 

Cebu is home to Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), the country’s second-busiest airport. The island province is also one of the country’s popular tourist destinations, both for domestic and foreign tourists.

/bmjo

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