DAVAO CITY –  Xiamen Air will resume direct flights between here and Quanzhou, China beginning October 29 after a hiatus of almost four years.

Arturo Milan, co-chairman of the Regional Development Council-Davao, said that the resumption of the direct connectivity would support recovery efforts in tourism and trade with China from the impact of Covid-19.

The twice weekly Davao-Quanzhou-Davao flights were launched on December 18, 2018 but were halted in February 2020 amid reports of an outbreak of a mysterious virus emanating from a seafood market in Wuhan, China.

The route was served by Xiamen’s Boeing 737.

“With the resumption, we should be able to attract more Chinese tourists to come not only in Davao but also in other parts of Mindanao,” Milan said.

Milan added that the business sector expects agricultural trade to increase, benefiting small growers of fruits like durian, avocado, pineapple, mangoes, dragon fruit, and other highly perishable crops.

He said that this would also present an opportunity for producers and fishers from General Santos City and Mati City, Davao Oriental to export tuna to China.

Milan said Mindanao could benefit from the direct connectivity because it could access “to cheap but high quality products in China that we don’t produce locally.”

“However, to get the full benefit of this resumption of the Davao-Quanzhou-Davao flight, we need to prepare well by having a holistic and sustainable plan on how to create economic activities not only for Davao but for Mindanao,” he said.

Xiamen Air was the second airline to fly to this city after Royal Air Philippines launched twice weekly direct flights between Davao City and Hong Kong on October 8.

Department of Tourism (DOT)-Davao Director Tanya Rabat Tan said the direct flight would improve travel connectivity as it offers a convenient and direct access between Davao and Hong Kong.