New Shanghai-Cebu charter flights to boost tourism

 The Department of Tourism (DOT) has confirmed the operation of China Southern Airline’s regular charter flight service from Shanghai to Cebu beginning July 27, 2007. The new flight offerings are part of the department’s plans to maximize the growing Chinese outbound travel market.

“Our talks with Shanghai-based travel operators revealed that Cebu is a popular destination outside Metro Manila for Chinese tourists. We look forward to the new opportunities that the flights will create not only for Cebu but also for Bohol and the surrounding provinces,” said DOT Secretary Joseph Ace Durano.

China Southern Airlines will fly a brand new 180-seater plane twice weekly from Shanghai to Cebu. Two more weekly flights will be added after the first three months of operation. China’s largest air carrier in terms of passenger volume, the company increased its Guangzhou-Manila flight service from three to five times weekly early this year.

The DOT recently visited the Chinese financial capital to discuss the details of the new service and to finalize agreements with members of consortium of Shanghainese tour operators who expressed interest in promoting the charter.

“Our partnerships with the Shanghai travel wholesalers are crucial in generating and sustaining consumer awareness. Our goal is to have Shanghainese tourists visiting our country for their summer break in July and August, the October autumn holiday and up until the Chinese New Year in February 2008,” explained Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque, Jr.

Among others, the DOT will be working with China’s leading retail agent Spring International Travel and Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours, one of the biggest travel conglomerates in the country for a series of joint promotions such as outdoor and print advertisements, flyers and brochures.

Other companies that intend to provide marketing and advertising support include major Chinese online travel portal and call center C-Trip, Shanghai Airlines Tours, multi-branch retailer CTS Shanghai, and China Hangzhou OTC Travel, which serves the Hangzhou and Nanjing provinces. 

China Comfort Travel has announced its plans to have two charter flights to Clark for August. Other agents said that they will be working on expanding their tour offerings to include Kalibo and Laoag.

Jin Yu Air Service, the general sales agent for the Shanghai-Cebu flight service, recently placed destination descriptions of Cebu and Bohol on Yeexing.Com, one of China’s largest travel trade portals where some 15,000 Chinese agencies subscribe.

Additional media mileage was earned when Dragon TV, one of the largest TV networks in China, has also committed to feature the islands in its Shanghai Noon of International Service travel segment in August. The Shanghai Airlines TV group will be producing a feature on Cebu and Bohol, which will be shown in all of the airline’s outbound flights from China.

“The Shanghai Dive Association expressed interest in promoting our water sports attractions. Shanghai currently has eight dive schools catering to a growing number of enthusiasts,” shared Tourism Attaché for Shanghai Gerry Panga.

Panga added that “These activities augment the existing WoW Philippines digital bus stop ads displayed strategically around Pudong, the commercial district of Shanghai. We are also working on having buses wrapped with the WoW Philippines design plying the major road networks in the area.”

A part of the department’s trip to China was the I-Spa Travel Fair held at the Everbright Exhibition Center. The expo, considered one of the major events for the health and wellness industry, involved 200 spa resorts, hotels and other related enterprises from 15 countries. The Philippine booth was brightly lit and had images of the seashore on a calm, summer day. Brochures of the country’s destinations and internationally-acclaimed spa resorts were distributed.

Therapists Charisma Berdin and Catherine Cuesta, of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu and Nurture Tropical Spa and Café in Tagaytay respectively, provided a sampling of hilot, or Filipino massage, to visitors.

The Bayanihan National Folk Dance Company helped open the three-day fair and captured the interest of several guests to the country’s culture and music. The group also entertained diners at the Philippine Food Festival held at Lucio Tan’s Eton Hotel in Pudong.

The seven-day Philippine Food Festival introduced the Shanghainese palate to classic Filipino dishes such as adobo, kinilaw, kaldereta, and leche flan. Chefs from the Century Park Hotel in Manila prepared the sumptuous lunch and dinner buffet spreads.

The Eton Hotel was also hosting at the same time an exhibit by Beth Parrocha-Doctolero, prolific Filipina watercolor artist and children’s book illustrator, at the foyer area of the hotel’s coffee shop.

“The Shanghai mission was about capturing the outbound travel market from all angles: from adventure to relaxation attractions, and the sights, sounds and tastes of our islands,” Secretary Durano explained.

The secretary announced that the DOT will be opening a new Shanghai office to accommodate the foreseen increase of outbound travelers from this area. China is currently the 4th top source of visitor arrivals. A total of 49,133 tourists came to the Philippines between January to April 2007, reflecting a 12.9 percent increase over the same period last year.