AirAsia Philippines is launching its cargo operations and increasing its flight frequency to Zamboanga city to daily starting next month, after installing new x-ray machines and expanding its warehouse, the low cost carrier announced Monday, May 23.
By then, AirAsia can fly more than 200 tons of both passengers and commercial cargo per month between Zamboanga and Manila.
Initially, AirAsia Philippine has flown its Manila to Zamboanga route twice a week when it launched the service in October 2020.
Next month, the airline is also increasing its flight frequency to Zamboanga to daily to stimulate tourism and commerce in the region.
Known as the flagship tourism destination of Western Mindanao, Asia’s Latin City is the gateway to other tourist destinations in the region.
Zamboanga City is also the center of economic activity in the Mindanao region, with 90 percent of its cargo requirement allotted to marine products exports.
“Zamboanga City is the gateway to the entire peninsula, making it a critical and strategic hub for any transport business," AirAsia Philippines Spokesperson and Head of Communications and Public Affairs Steve Dailisan pointed out.
"We are confident that Zamboanga City, through the Zamboanga City International Airport, is poised to be a key economic driver for the region as the country gears for post-pandemic recovery.”
A survey commissioned by AirAsia Philippines last December 2021 revealed that 29 percent of general travelers would like to spend time and explore Zamboanga.
Of these, 31 percent of respondents from the Visayas region also want to visit the city.
Tourist arrivals in Zamboanga City dropped by 81.68 percent during the same period last year due to the ongoing pandemic.
From 125,614 arrivals in the first quarter of 2020, the number of visitors slipped to 23,010 in the same period in 2021.
The city’s pandemic response and enhanced security and safety measures supported by its Security Surveillance and System Project (SSEPS) or the Public Safety Program, is also set to reinforce the confidence of inbound tourists to explore more of Asia’s Latin City.