Boracay is gearing up to show that there are more opportunities to explore beyond what meets the eye. At the recent Boracay Business Forum, Asean ambassadors and representatives from both public and private sectors gathered to call for preserving the island’s pristine beauty for the years to come while positioning it as a premier tourist and investment hub.
Among the notable attendees were Asean Ambassadors Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino of Malaysia, Megawati Manan of Brunei, Agus Widjojo of Indonesia, Lai Thai Binh of Vietnam, Phan Peuv of Cambodia, Sonexay Vannaxay of Laos, Imtiaz Ahmad Kazi of Pakistan, Minn-Gan Chow of Taiwan, and Sadre Alam of India and Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista. AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla also took part, highlighting the airline’s role in boosting the island’s economy and key areas for improvement.
“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. The profile of AirAsia travelers to Boracay consists of millennials and young professionals aged 30-39, followed by adults aged 50 and above who are seeking places to relax. Our records show that most of the guests come from countries like the USA, China, UK, South Korea, Japan, Germany and Canada. Airlines must make travel easy and accessible for our guests so that there’s more opportunity to attract foreign tourists,” shares Mr. Isla.
AirAsia Philippines is enjoying a healthy load factor of 94% as of the current month. 80% of this figure are domestic travelers while the remaining 20% consists of international guests.
Leveraging on the number of flights from Manila, Clark, and Cebu to Caticlan and Kalibo, an airfare which is 50% lower than its competitors, and a positive average monthly On-Time Performance (OTP) of 85%, AirAsia also hopes to get the support from 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.
Aside from attracting more international guests to the island, the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline 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 tonnes 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. However, there’s room for stakeholders to simplify and digitize processes like booking accommodations and transportation to enhance guest experiences,” he added.