The Philippine Consulate General in GuangZhou reported the successful launching of the Guangzhou-Cebu-Guangzhou charter flight on July 9.
The charter flight brought 150 chinese tourists to Cebu. The maiden charter project was initiated by GZL International Travel Ltd., in coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and china Southern Airlines.
GZL Vice President Zhu Shao Dong welcomed Philippine Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno and Cultural Officer Cherina C. Escobedo at the Baiyun International Airport in July.
Mr Zhu presented to Consul General Jimeno the 2010 Asian Games’ official mascots, as well as an invitation-banner signed by Guangzhou Vice Mayor Zhang Guangning to promote the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu.
He also presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Consul General for the Consulate’s support and assistance to the cultural and tourism endeavor of GZL.
In an interview by the Guangzhou, Guangdong and the Nanhu Television Stations, Consul General Jimeno commended and expressed his gratitude to GZL for sending full-packed Chinese tour groups to Cebu.
The Consul General mentioned that the charter flights enhance people-to-people contacts between Guangdong and Cebu provinces, fast-tracking the goals and objectives set forth in the sisterhood agreement concluded in October last year.
He also assured that the message to promote the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games will be conveyed to the people of Cebu.
Upon their arrival at the Mactan International Airport, the Chinese tour group were welcomed by the DOT-Cebu officials led by Mr Redemptor Y. Gonzales.
Assisted by a GZL representative, the Consul General presented the mascots to Mr Gonzales, a symbolic act of support to Guangzhou’s hosting of the 2010 Asian Games.
Consul General Jimeno and Ms Escobedo met with Mr Gonzales and informed him that the charter project is already fully booked and will carry 150 Chinese tourists on every flight to Cebu.
The charter project will run until August 26.
Mr Gonzales updated the Consul General that Chinese tourists ranked third in foreign tourist arrivals in Cebu.
From January to May 2010, some 19,296 Chinese tourists visited Cebu.
On July 12, Ms Escobedo met with Ms Elizabeth Francia, Chief of Staff of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Cebu Provincial Office.
Ms Escobedo conveyed to her the two existing charter projects which are bringing approximately 300 Chinese tourists to Cebu weekly, and handed over the Asian Games mascots to Ms Francia, a token contribution to promote the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Ms Francia said that the charter project will coincide with the Cebu festival in August. She also informed Ms Escobedo of the proposed Nanning-Cebu-Nanning charter project, which will start in the last quarter of this year.
The Chinese tourists enjoyed the tours of Cebu and Bohol and claimed that they would return to the Philippines, as they were satisfied with the services and hospitality of Cebu and Bohol.
Most of them returned to Guangzhou with small guitars as souvenir of Cebu and enjoyed the beaches in the two provinces.
The group was brought to Malapascua, Camotes and Mactan Islands and were toured around the popular tourist attractions in Cebu such as Magellan’s Cross and Fort San Pedro and the Chocolate Hills and Panglao Island in Bohol.