TOURIST arrivals at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) increased in November this year, officials of the GMR Megawide Airport Corp. (GMCAC) said on Wednesday, Dec. 12.
Around 20,000 foreign tourists, particularly from South Korea, Japan and China, arrived in Cebu in November to get away from the winter season in their countries, said Avi Maningo, GMCAC corporate affairs officer.
Maningo said tourist arrivals are expected to increase this month, as more foreign tourists are expected to arrive in Cebu for Christmas until January next year for the annual Sinulog Festival.
Maningo believes tourist arrivals will continue to rise until the summer months next year.
“It’s winter in other Asian countries, so they prefer to come here to Cebu or to other places in the Philippines because it’s warmer,” Maningo told SunStar Cebu.
To entertain arriving tourists at the MCIA, Maningo said they will hold Christmas caroling along with airport employees on Dec. 15.
On Dec. 23 and 24, airport employees will also wear Christmas-themed costumes, in line with their theme “Starstruck Christmas.”
GMCAC will also hold an online contest beginning Dec. 19, where they will be giving away domestic and international flights to passengers.
Passengers can join the contest by accessing MCIA’s Facebook and Instragram pages.
“We have cosplayers who will be going around the airport that passengers need to watch out for because they will be giving away gifts. This is our gift to the passengers,” Maningo added. (from GCM of SuperBalita Cebu/JKV)