New route to boost tourism, Direct Darwin-Cebu flights begin December

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT-7) announced the entry of Australian Northern Territory company Wild Orchid Airlines that will offer a regular direct peak demand charter flights between Darwin, Australia and Cebu on December 15.

In a statement, DOT-7 regional director Rowena Montecillo revealed that this move will boost the tourism sector, specifically in Cebu saying “Darwin’s proximity to Asia allows great opportunities for people from the Northern Territory looking for a new, affordable, safe and exciting holiday destinations for singles, couples, families and groups.

Wild Orchid Airlines has chartered a fully serviced and crewed Qantas Boeing 737 that has been booked to fly from Darwin during peak travel periods which include Christmas and the midyearschool holidays, Easter and the mid semester beak.

The direct flights will depart Darwin at 1:00PM every Saturday afternoon, during these dates, arriving back from Cebu at around 9:30PM that night. With only 3 1/2 hours flying time, Cebu will now be available for Darwin people.

Utilizing a Qantas Boeing 737 and crew, Wild Orchid offers a full service Economy and Business Class cabin with a worldwide recognized level of service. One can soon travel directly between Darwin and Cebu in a short 3.5 hour hop.

In the past, to get to the central Philippines hub airport, passengers need to take connections in Manila and/or Singapore – making this an arduous two-day journey with the cost and inconvenience of overnight stopovers.

With the entry of Wild Orchid Airlines, getting to Cebu from Darwin is as simple as a short 3.5 hour flight. It’s quicker than getting to any Australian capital city or any other international destination excluding Bali or Dili. 

Record from the DOT revealed that Australian national arrivals to the Philippines only grew by 2.2 percent as of April this year, compared to the same period in 2011.

In the first three months of this year Australian arrivals to the Philippines totalled to 16,615 a 2.2 percent improvement from 16,263 in 2011.

Ealier, Australian government executives underscored the potential of the Philippines to attract the huge family tourists from Australia. This is one of the markets that Philippines should target in the Australia traveling market.

Cebu, for instance, has greater edge in attracting this particular market because of its good location, diverse attractions, and position as a convenient gateway to other destinations in southern Philippines like Boracay and Bohol.

Family Tourism in Australia is a significantly growing market because Australian families travel more frequently now. The Philippines, if it were to offer good packages, could be a new and fresh destination for this huge Australian tourism market. (FREEMAN)