Philippine Airlines direct flights to Beijing starts Nov. 11

Manila, Philippines - September 15, 2005

The Philippines Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will start its direct flights to Beijing, China on Nov. 11 to boost revenues and take advantage of the growing domestic and international tourism in China.

PAL president Jaime Bautista said the flag carrier will start flying three times a week to the Chinese capital. PAL already flies to Xiamen and Shanghai.

The increase in the number of flights to China has been fueled by the Department of Tourism (DoT) supported by PAL and Monitor Group, a leading global management consulting firm.

China is expected to produce 100 million travelers per year by 2010. It is one of the largest and fastest growing outbound tourism market globally.

The Philippines only captured approximately 0.2 percent of total Chinese travelers in 2003.

The Department of Tourism, under the leadership of Joseph Ace Durano, has intensified its marketing campaigns to attract Chinese tourists.

The campaigns generated 45,789 Chinese arrivals in the Philippines, already exceeding the 2004 total and continues to register unprecedented increases averaging 200 percent each month compared to the same period last year.

To support DOT, Philippine Airlines is now aggressively supporting the campaigns and will have its direct route from Manila to Beijing and vice-versa.

DOT expects China to be the fourth largest source of tourism for the Philippines, by the end of 2005, joining the United States, Korea and Japan.

Condensed from Manila Bulletin, written by Lynda B. Valencia

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