Mayor welcomes direct flights to Hong Kong, Singapore

MAYOR Jed Patrick Mabilog hailed Cebu Pacific Airways’ direct international flights from the Iloilo Airport to Hong Kong and Singapore starting on November 8.

Cebu Pacific earlier announced the start of twice weekly direct flights to Hong Kong starting November 8, and thrice weekly direct flights to Singapore starting November 9.

Mabilog said the direct flights will allow more Ilonggos to come home often and for foreigners to visit tourist spots in Iloilo.

This will also entice more foreign investors to come and avail of the business-friendly investment opportunities the city offers, the city mayor added.

Tourism Regional Director Helen Catalbas said Department of Tourism is lobbying for the Presidential declaration of the Iloilo Airport as an international gateway.

The declaration will help much in the fielding of personnel from Customs, Immigration and Quarantine and facilitate more international travel from the Iloilo airport.

Catalbas said that with this new travel development in Iloilo and the rest of Western Visayas region, they are proposing to upgrade their targeted tourist and visitor arrivals from 4.6 million to five million by 2016.