SHANGHAI – Shared confidence in a steady uptick in Chinese inbound tourism to the Philippines reigned during the latest courtesy call of Cebu Pacific Airlines’ Shanghai Office on the Consulate General in Shanghai on 13 September.

Meeting Consul General Josel F. Ignacio, Tourism Attaché Ireneo H. Reyes and DOT-Shanghai Administrative Officer Ghienel S. Gustilo were the airline’s Shanghai Representative Office Sales Manager Ms. Kelly Tao, Sales Supervisor Mr. Sam NI, and General Sales Agent Mr. Bruce BIAN.

Cebu Pacific updated the PCG and PDOT on the ongoing recovery of Cebu Pacific’s multiple connections to Mainland China since the latter’s re-opening to normal travel early this year. The airline thanked the Consulate General in Shanghai, which sees the highest visa issuance numbers in the Mainland, for its strong support for efforts to promote Chinese travel to the Philippines,

Cebu Pacific also welcomed the Philippine Government’s revival of the Tour Group visa in Spring and more recently, the introduction of its electronic visa. Both were piloted in Shanghai. The PCG issued the first revived Chinese Tour Group Visa in April. In August, it also issued the Philippines’ historic first e-Visa. The first e-Visa travelers to the Philippines arrived on 02 September.

The two sides exchanged views on Chinese leisure travel trends and forecasts. Cebu Pacific committed to support the Philippines’ tourism promotion drives in the Yangtze River Delta area. 

The Philippines is one of the preferred Southeast Asian destinations for Chinese travelers. In 2018 and 2019, over 1.2 million and 1.7 million Chinese tourists, respectively, trooped to the Philippines. END