DOT: Direct China Flights Boost Philippine Tourism, Ease Travel For Visitors

Inaasahang magbibigay ng dagdag na oportunidad ang direct flights para sa tourism growth at business exchanges ng dalawang bansa.

DOT: Direct China Flights Boost Philippine Tourism, Ease Travel For Visitors

By Society Magazine
15
By Society Magazine
15

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The Philippines is stepping up its push for stronger tourism and business connectivity with China through the opening of new direct flights from Hangzhou, Changsha, and Chongqing.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), in a news release on Wednesday, said XiamenAir inaugurated on May 20 the Hangzhou–Manila service that offers a direct three-and-a-half-hour flight, replacing the longer multi-leg flight for travelers from eastern China.

For frequent visitor Yang Yan of Hangzhou, the new route reflects a clear improvement in travel efficiency.

“It’s not my first time in Manila, but it’s my first time flying direct from Hangzhou to Manila, so it feels very convenient for us. The flight only takes around three and a half hours,” Yan was quoted as saying.

The DOT said the Hangzhou–Manila service will operate four times weekly, until Oct. 31, 2026.

Also, Qingdao Airlines launched its Changsha–Manila service on May 16, followed by XiamenAir’s Chongqing–Manila route on May 21.

Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the government is prioritizing air connectivity as a core pillar of tourism recovery under the current administration.

“Under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we are accelerating the restoration of air connectivity from China because we recognize that this market remains one of the Philippines’ biggest opportunities for tourism growth,” she said.

“Visitor arrivals from China have already posted the strongest growth among our major source markets this year, supported by expanded direct services and measures that have made travel more accessible,” she said.

She said capacity constraints continue to limit full recovery, noting that current seat capacity from China has recovered to only about half of the pre-pandemic levels, while visitor growth is already outpacing the pace of capacity restoration.

“This tells us that the challenge is no longer demand alone – it is our ability to convert that returning interest into actual travel through sufficient, reliable, and commercially sustainable access,” she said.

From Jan. 1 to May 19, the Philippines recorded 7.78 million international air seats for inbound travel, which reflects an 8.31 percent increase year-on-year.

During the same period, there were 30,729 international flight arrivals, up 4.71 percent compared to the same period in 2025.

The DOT said China accounted for 4.56 percent of total visitor arrivals in the country in 2025, one of the key source markets for the country. (PNA)

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