AirAsia Philippines said it is eyeing more direct flights to Boracay from Malaysia to entice more foreign tourists.
“Recognizing the challenges posed by congestion in Manila, AirAsia is exploring the possibility of opening direct flights to Boracay to offer guests a convenient and seamless travel journey to the island,” AirAsia Philippines chief executive Ricky Isla said.
“The profile of AirAsia travelers to Boracay consists of millennials and young professionals aged 30 to 39, followed by adults aged 50 and above who are seeking places to relax,” he said.
Isla said most of their gusts come from countries like the United States, China, the UK, South Korea, Japan, Germany and Canada.
“It’s crucial for airlines to make travel easy and accessible for our guests so that there’s more opportunity to attract foreign tourists,” Isla said.
“AirAsia Philippines is enjoying a healthy load factor of 94 percent as of the current month. Eighty percent of this figure are domestic travelers while the remaining 20 percent consists of international guests,” he said.
AirAsia, leveraging on the number of flights from Manila, Clark and Cebu to Caticlan and Kalibo, an airfare which is 50 percent lower than its competitors, and a positive average monthly on-time performance (OTP) of 85 percent, hopes to get the support of the international community and increase international tourist arrivals in Boracay.
AirAsia also sees the mounting of direct flights to Boracay a measure of helping decongest Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
It said that aside from attracting more international guests to the island, it is also ensuring that responsible tourism will also be a top priority whilst promoting the island.
“In line with our sustainability commitment, AirAsia Group has avoided carbon emissions by 130,000 tons since 2016 through eco-efficiency practices. AirAsia has also been supporting their travel needs through our AirAsia MOVE mobile app which gives an array of flight schedules, hotels, restaurants, and even activities,” Isla said.
“However, there’s room for stakeholders to simplify and digitize processes like booking accommodations and transportation to enhance guest experiences,” he said.