Chinese tourists to troop to Kalibo

[OceanBreezeInn]

In an exclusive interview, Tourism Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions Edu Jarque told Manila Bulletin that twice-weekly chartered flights will be taking off from Shanghai and Hangzhou, bringing in at least 300 Chinese tourists to Kalibo, beginning next week.

The chartered flights from Shanghai, China's largest city with a population of over 20 million will be carried out by Shanghai Airlines starting July 26, while flights from Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, will be carried out by Philippine Airlines starting July 27.

The first few flights of the chartered trips have already been filled to capacity, said Jarque, and the DoT is hopeful that the flights will go on beyond the target month of December, during which period the flights will be assessed and possibly extended if successful.


The first flights from Shanghai and Hangzhou will include Chinese media who will be writing about Kalibo and its different tourist attractions, including world-famous Boracay Island.

Source: ph.news.yahoo.com



... There will be heavy traffic at Kalibo Airport with the diverted flights from Caticlan + new international arrivals ... I hope the recent bad runway problems will not happen again ...

[OceanBreezeInn]

Good news for Kalibo / Boracay travellers: Kalibo airport terminal nearly completed:

The P48-million passenger terminal at the Kalibo International Airport is almost 92 percent completed, according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) airport manager Engr. Percy Malonesio.
Malonesio said the Kalibo International Airport, a priority infrastructure project of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, will feature a new passenger terminal building to handle more passengers from the neighboring countries.
"The terminal building would be completed by October this year. With the entry of chartered flights from mainland China for the famed Boracay Island, we are confident the terminal building could offer travelers the latest in airport amenities and most likely to boost the tourism in Aklan," he said over Bombo Radyo Kalibo.
Malonesio said Shanghai - Kalibo via Shanghai Airlines and Hangzou-Kalibo via Philippine Airlines have twice chartered flights weekly, making this island destination of Boracay the most-favored tourist spots among the beach-bound Chinese tourists.
Other regional airlines serving the airport are Mandarin Airlines, Korea Air, China Eastern Airlines, TranAsia Airways and local airlines of Cebu Pacific, Zest Airways, PAL Express and flag carrier Philippine Airlines.
Last year, the Kalibo International Airport handled 400,042 passengers with 4,706 aircraft movements, owing to the increasing direct chartered flights and passengers from Incheon, South Korea and Taipei, Taiwan.
Under Department Order No. 2008-06 signed by Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Leandro Mendoza, the Kalibo airport in Barangay Pook was reclassified as international airport or an airport with border control facility used for international flights.
Caticlan Airport (Godofredo P. Ramos Airport), the nearest airport from Boracay Island, was classified as Principal Class 2 airport used for prop aircraft of jet smaller than B737, A320 or DC9.
Malonesio said the old terminal building will be renovated by the national government to cater to domestic and international passengers once the P48-million new terminal building is completed.
To adopt the Kalibo International Airport to international standards, the national government also budgeted more funds for the installation instrument landing system including runway and taxiway lights, asphalt overlay of runway, expansion of apron and construction of drainage canal, extension of runway construction, asphalting of turn-around pad and improvement of existing terminal building and fire station building.

Source: aklanforum