TRAVEL consultants in the Philippines have given news of Philippine Airlines’ impending launch of four-times-weekly services linking Manila and Guangzhou (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 3, 2013) a warm reception.
William Ang, COO of Uni-Orient Travel, said the new service “definitely gives travellers another option” and “gives travel agents more opportunites” to sell the two-way Manila-Guangzhou route, currently operated nonstop by only China Southern Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
Ang said it was “natural” for PAL to fly to Guangzhou, the third primary city in mainland China, as the carrier was already flying to Beijing and Shanghai.
Mary Ann Ong, China market director, Blue Horizons Travel & Tours, said PAL’s new service came at a time when inbound traffic from China was recovering, after the Philippines was blacklisted for five months last year owing to a territorial dispute (TTG Asia e-Daily, April 19, 2013).
“We’re actually quite late in going to Guangzhou,” said Ong, noting that Guangzhou had been opened to visitors ahead of Beijing and Shanghai.
But Department of Tourism assistant secretary, Benito Bengzon Jr, said the new service would “add more seat capacity for inbound Manila from Guangzhou and help in achieving our visitor arrivals targets”.
Maria Fetalvero, sales and reservations officer at Amkor Travel and Tours, agreed that business and leisure travel between the two destinations stood to benefit, and that many travellers also preferred having more travel options.
