AIRASIA KEEN ON GROWING SOUTH PH CONNECTIONS
AirAsia’s CEO sees “massive” potential for tourism in the Philippines, asks his team here to work on long-term plans for Cebu, given the scheduled opening of a new airport terminal next year.
Malaysian business magnate Tony Fernandes is keen on investing more in Southern Philippines with his airline AirAsia planning to mount more flights in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Fernandes, who visited Davao City last Friday for the Davao Investment Conference 2017, has announced that AirAsia Philippines will start a direct flight from Davao City to Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 21 this year.
This will be AirAsia’s fourth direct Kuala Lumpur flight from the Philippines, starting with Manila, Cebu, and Kalibo. Fernandes said the decision to mount an international flight for Davao City was brought up by President Rodrigo Duterte to him during an investment talk last December 2016 in Cambodia, and having studied the city’s tourism and business potential, the businessman obliged.
“He (President Duterte) asked me to consider a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Davao, which was not on our immediate plan, but due to the commitment to the Philippine Government, we are launching much quicker,” Fernandes said.
He highlighted tourism as one area where the Philippines has the most potential and added that he wants AirAsia to be instrumental in increasing connectivity both for domestic and international flights.
“You have 100 million people here but you only have five million tourists. The potential of the Philippines is massive. It (tourism) can be one of the biggest earners if the right policies are put in place. Tourism can be a massive earner and job creator,” Fernandes said in a press conference with Cebu and Davao media at the SMX Convention Center in Lanang, Davao City.
Davao, according to Fernandes, will serve as the gateway of AirAsia in the south. Likewise, he sees plenty of potential in Cebu.
“Visayas and Mindanao will be our target areas,” he said.
With the opening of Terminal 2 of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) sometime next year, Fernandes, who met with Cebu airport officials last Thursday, has directed his team in the Philippines to stage a longterm plan for Cebu.
The official also suggested removing travel tax and arranging for increased connectivity between Philippine airports and international destinations.
“You’re not losing much by removing travel tax in Davao, for instance. The tourism department isn’t losing a lot and we could go quicker.”
Traffic is a crisis that impedes the mobility of people, goods and services and threatens the livability of our cities. Mobility has been a key concern of our country. We should fast-track our projects on improving and modernizing our public transport system so that Filipinos will have a viable transportation option JUAN EDGARDO ANGARA Senator