ALTHOUGH China has yet to issue an official travel ban over the ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea, the Philippines’ travel industry is bracing for the worst amid rumours that Chinese travel firms may suspend tours to the destination indefinitely.
So far, the Philippine Department of Tourism has acknowledged the cancellation of at least 10 group tours from China – mostly pre-paid and each with 50-100 pax – to Boracay, Cebu, Bohol and Davao.
The high cross-straits tensions have also spooked Cebu Pacific into suspending its twice-weekly Shanghai-Clark charter flights, which were scheduled to run till September.
Zest Airways has also discontinued its twice-weekly Shanghai-Kalibo and thrice-weekly Jinjiang-Manila charter services, as well as shelved Shanghai-Cebu and Beijing-Kalibo flights orginally slated to start next month.
– Read the full story in TTG Asia, May 18, 2012 issue
