THE country’s second-busiest gateway outside Manila, Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), is preparing for a potential surge in Chinese arrivals following the Philippine government’s decision to grant Chinese nationals visa-free entry for up to 14 days through select airports, including Cebu’s main hub.
The visa-free arrangement, which covers travel for tourism and business, is expected to strengthen inbound tourism and reinforce MCIA’s role as a key gateway to destinations across the Visayas and Mindanao in 2026.
MCIA currently serves as a central hub for international passengers connecting to domestic destinations, supported by expanding air-to-air and air-to-sea connectivity. In a statement, airport operator Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) said the new policy positions Cebu as a convenient entry point for Chinese travelers seeking to explore multiple Philippine destinations in a single trip.
Eligible visitors arriving in Cebu can already access various locations through direct domestic flights and integrated transfer programs designed to shorten travel times. These include CEB Connects, MCIA’s air-to-air transfer service, which reduces minimum connection times to 60 minutes for international flights and 35 minutes for domestic flights, and CEB+, an airport-to-seaport connectivity initiative that will allow passengers to combine air and sea travel to reach nearby islands once fully launched.
“Improving connectivity allows travelers arriving in Cebu to move more efficiently to other parts of the country, whether by air or sea. These initiatives are designed to support tourism growth while helping distribute visitor traffic across the regions,” said Rafael Aboitiz, vice president and head of airports at AIC.
Latest data from the Department of Tourism showed that of the 5.6 million foreign visitors to the Philippines last year, 262,144 were from China. Industry players expect this figure to rise following the easing of visa requirements.
From MCIA, Chinese tourists can easily reach nearby destinations such as Bohol via fast ferry services or travel onward to Northern Mindanao through Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental, further enhancing Cebu’s appeal as a regional hub.
No inquiries so far
However, tour operators said the anticipated increase in Chinese travel inquiries has yet to be felt on the ground.
In an interview, Alice Queblatin, president of the Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists, said member agencies have not seen a significant rise in direct inquiries so far, as most Chinese travel arrangements continue to be handled through Manila-based partners and specialized agents in Cebu.
“Personally, we have not received inquiries yet, but they usually go through their own Chinese links, either via Manila or through agents here in Cebu who handle Chinese tourists. We hope that the inquiries will grow soon,” she said.
MCIA and Laguindingan International Airport have been operated by AIC since October 2024 and April 2025, respectively, and form part of the AIC Airports platform, which also includes Bohol-Panglao International Airport. Collectively, the network is expected to handle around 16 million passengers by end-2025, or more than a fifth of total passenger traffic nationwide.
Under multi-year concession agreements awarded in 2024, AIC is undertaking modernization and capacity expansion projects at its airports beginning this year. These initiatives are being implemented under the oversight of the Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines as part of efforts to improve passenger experience and enhance the global competitiveness of Philippine airports. / KOC