CHINESE group tour traffic to the Philippines is expected to recover by early next year, following the rescinding of the travel ban imposed by Chinese authorities in May due to the territorial standoff over Scarborough Shoal.
Bookings have been on the uptrend since October 11, but will probably only recover to pre-tension levels in February next year, said Lourdes Amansec, assistant general manager, Direction Travel & Tours.
Mary Ann Ong, market director, Blue Horizons Travel & Tours China, is anticipating an increase in Chinese arrivals around the same time. “I’m expecting that by Chinese New Year, bookings will be normal (again),” she said.
Amansec pointed out lingering problems in confirming airline seat availability since some carriers had reduced China-Philippine frequencies or stopped services altogether.
Cebu Pacific previously suspended Shanghai-Clark services, while Zest Air ceased Shanghai-Kalibo and Jinjiang-Manila operations, and shelved plans for Shanghai-Cebu and Beijing-Kalibo flights (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 14, 2012).
Ong told TTG Asia e-Daily, however, that “there (were) indications that chartered flights (would) resume soon”.
