THE Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) will be selling Cebu as a hub in the Routes Asia Conference next year.
This will be the second time that the Philippines will play host for Routes Asia after successfully hosting the 2016 event in Manila. This is Cebu’s first time.
MCIAA General Manager Steve Dicdican said they are all set to welcome the senior decision-makers from the region’s air service development community and other stakeholders in the industry.
Hosting this conference, he said, will strengthen Cebu’s connectivity and position as a gateway to the rest of the Philippines as well as a major transfer hub to other countries.
The conference is slated on March 10 to 12, 2019 in the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Routes Asia is a routes development forum in the region that brings together airlines, airports and their stakeholders to discuss air services to, from, and within Asia.
“We will highlight the new terminal, market it as a hub and also highlight Cebu’s attractive destinations,” said Dicdican.
The MCIAA chief said he’s confident Cebu can handle the influx of tourists because aside from the airport terminal expansion, the government is already working on the airport’s second runway to fuel more growth.
“This will be our time to showcase our airport, which is not only dubbed as the only ‘resort airport in Asia’ but also the world’s friendliest airport,” said Dicdican, adding that the MCIA’s position as a passenger-friendly terminal would place Cebu in the spotlight during the conference.
Steven Small, brand director of Routes, was quoted in a report saying they look forward to the return of Routes Asia to the Philippines in 2019, especially that it would fuel further international market growth for Cebu and the Philippines.
“This will be our opportunity to market Cebu to the world,” said Dicdican.
During the conference, industry experts will provide insight into key air service development issues currently affecting the route development community.
It will feature top-level speakers from across the sphere of aviation, including airlines, airports, destinations, aircraft manufacturers and more, to discuss the most pressing issues facing aviation now and into the future.
Routes Asia is attended by 800 delegates, 100 airlines, 200 airports, 30 tourism authorities, 2,000 face-to-face meetings and 20 speakers.
“A lot are asking how we are going to grow our arrivals with the new terminal in place and I tell them the upcoming Routes Asia will give us a breakthrough,” he said.
The country hosting of Routes Asia 2016 in Manila has paved the way for the new direct flights, increased in frequencies of existing flights and other significant developments. The opportunities spilled over to Cebu, which now has a stronger connection to other Asian countries like China, Japan, and Korea among others.
Besides working on the second runway, MCIAA has set aside P30 million to rehabilitate the airport in Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island.
Dicdican said the airport rehabilitation in Bantayan will commence in the fourth quarter this year. It will cover runway fixing, terminal rehab and fencing, among others.
“The goal for Bantayan is for its airport to comply with the airport standards,” he said.
There were 137,542 tourists who visited Sta. Fe, Bantayan last year, 18,429 of whom were foreign tourists. KOC