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Guangdong-Laoag chartered flights resume at Laoag airport

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DOT's Milagros Gonzales at the Laoag International Airport (DOT photo)


By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporters

Laoag City—Amidst on-going territorial dispute between China and the Philippines on the West Philippine Sea, Chinese tourists are likely to be visible again in this northern gateway of Luzon following the resumption of chartered flights ferrying passengers from Guangdong, China to Laoag on June 13.

Carrying 156 confirmed passengers, the maiden flight of China Eastern Airlines on June 13 is a welcome development for the local tourism industry, said Ma. Milagros Gonzales, provincial director of the Department of Tourism Laoag sub-office.

Initiated by the Guangdong International Travel Group, Ms. Gonzales said the DOT is now preparing an airport grand reception and welcome dinner at a hotel in Laoag City for Guangdong tourists to attract more charterers to the city.

Beginning June 13, chartered flight from Guangdong to Laoag and vice versa will be on a twice weekly basis.

With the resumption of chartered flights from Guangdong to Laoag, Ms. Gonzales hopes that more tourists will come to the Philippines particularly Laoag and Ilocos Norte and see for themselves that indeed, “it’s more fun to be in Ilocos.”

Guangdong, China is one of the closest neighbor of the Philippines in northern part of Luzon.

Previously, the Laoag International Airport used to serve Chinese and Taiwanese tourists on chartered flights from Guangdong and Guangzhou, China and Kaohsiung, Taiwan but due to the issuance of black travel alert to the Philippines caused by 2010 Manila hostage crisis, the arrival of foreign tourists particularly Chinese, Korean and Taiwanese tourists in Laoag City significantly declined over the years.

Regaining tourist arrivals record
MS. Gonzales is hopeful the resumption of chartered flights from mainland China will allow the province to recover and regain lost ground in terms of Chinese tourism arrivals in the province.

She added that this development can also serve as an “eye-opener” for other tourism markets in the world to visit the Ilocos Region which boasts of countless tourist attractions as well as having one of the Seven Wonder Cities of the World in Vigan City.

Regular flights
Meanwhile, Laoag International Airport manager Godfrey Ragudo said the Guangzhou-Laoag flights have been included in their regular flight schedules. The said flight is scheduled every Tuesday and Saturday.

Mr. Ragudo added that with the resumption of international flights, LIA will now intensify its quarantine operations to detect various diseases, especially the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERS-COV).

Guangzhou also known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province of South China.

It is also the largest and most flourishing industrial and foreign trade center in south China. A China Export Commodities Fair is held in Guangzhou in the spring and autumn every year.

Guangzhou has a humid climate, and flowers bloom there all year round; hence its name as the City of Flowers.

Guangzhou is a famous historical city. It is said that in ancient times, five immortals wearing colorful clothes and riding colorful immortal sheep who hold rice stalk in their mouths arrived in Guangzhou.


Hence, the City of Laoag is projected to become a Primary Urban Center A in the Seven Level Hierarchy Settlements.
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