FLAG carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) is targeting to fly in roughly 6 million international passengers this year on its 23rd anniversary, as it launches a new campaign to encourage more foreign tourists to visit the Philippines.
New details of the campaign, dubbed “Fly to More Fun,” was revealed by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday.
“The private sector is a vital partner in our tourism efforts, and Cebu Pacific is a prime example of how a company can align with the government to deliver sustainable and responsible tourism,” she said.
“The Fly to More Fun campaign of Cebu Pacific amplifies our own efforts to bring joy to visitors and stakeholders as they delve into the unique sights, experiences and people that the Philippines has to offer,” she said. “This goes well with their sustainable and responsible tourism campaign, Juan Effect,” she added. Juan Effect was launched last October in time with the reopening of Boracay Island.
Fly to More Fun reaches out to foreigners in key Cebu Pacific markets to share with them the great experiences and attractions the Philippines has to offer and how easy it is to get to these places with the airline, said Candice Iyog, vice president for Marketing and Distribution at Cebu Pacific.
The campaign kicked off with a special video that showcased some of the Philippines’s best destinations, such as Boracay, Cebu, Siargao and Palawan, highlighting the feel and experience of a great vacation in the Philippines. Iyog underscored that CEB flies to 36 Philippine destinations and close to 100 routes that will allow tourists to get around the country faster and much easier.
“We celebrate our 23rd anniversary with an invitation to experience the Philippines, especially at its prime during the summer months from March to June,” she said in an interview with the BusinessMirror. “As we aim to fly 200 million passengers by 2020, we are rolling out compelling and exciting deals and treats for our customers, and intend to expand our route network to connect more international destinations to the Philippines.”
The Philippines boasts of pristine beaches, diverse flora and fauna, and some of the world’s best islands that are acclaimed in top international travel publications and web sites. With hotels and accommodation that cater to a wide variety of tourist preferences, the Philippines offers luxury island resorts to budget-friendly bed-and-breakfast lodges, all imbued with the warmth, great service and friendliness that Filipinos are known for. The country offers great value for money in terms of transportation, eating out or even shopping—with something to satisfy high-end flashpackers and even bargain-hunters.
Iyog underscored that even on a limited budget, travelers can enjoy local attractions other than just white-sand beaches. “There’s island-hopping; trekking mountains or volcanoes; getting the adrenaline rush through water sports or canyoneering at waterfalls; or traveling back in time visiting ruins of the Philippines’s past as a Spanish colony.”
The carrier’s Fly to More Fun campaign supports the refreshed “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” brand push of the DOT. The cornerstone of the DOT’s own campaign is sustainable travel through authentic, crowd-sourced photos and videos from actual tourists to the country.
At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Romulo Puyat noted the annual budget of the DOT is about P3.2 billion, “and even if they give us a higher budget, it will still be no match for the budgets of other countries.” Thus, she expressed gratitude to the private sector for helping promote the Philippines in markets abroad.
Aside from CEB, other private firms that have lent a hand to the promotional efforts of the tourism department are Bench, Hertz, Potato Corner, Philippine Airlines, and Jollibee. She also revealed that snack-food brand Oishi, of the Liwayway Marketing Group, and the group of business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan “have also offered to help promote the Philippines.”
Under its National Tourism Development Plan, the Duterte administration is targeting to attract 8.2 million foreign visitors this year. Data from the DOT showed a 6-percent increase in foreign tourists to 1.49 million, and visitor receipts up 13.63 percent to $1.75 billion (P91.32 billion).
CEB last year flew in 5.4 million international passengers to the Philippines. Its 6-million target this year is an increase by over 11 percent. With its subsidiary Cebgo, the carrier company flies to 36 domestic and 26 international destinations, with over 107 routes spanning Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and the United States.
CEB’s fleet is comprised of an Airbus A321NEO, 36 Airbus A320, 7 Airbus A321CEO, 8 Airbus A330, 8 ATR 72-500, and 12 ATR 72-600 aircraft. Cebgo uses the ATRs for inter-island flights where jet operations are not possible. CEB boasts of one of the youngest fleets in the world, with an average fleet age of five years.