PHL Hosting of Routes Asia will Greatly Benefit Asia-Pacific Region

An air transportation specialist said that the Philippines hosting of Routes Asia next month will help not just the Philippines but the whole Asia-Pacific region in terms of trade benefits.

In an article “A Route to Success: how global air connectivity drives tourism and economic growth”, Routesonline content and community manager Richard Maslen pointed out this among other things beneficial for the region.

“It is clear that travel dynamics across the Asia-Pacific region are evolving and air service development has been a major force in this development against a changing regulatory environment,” Maslen said.

Maslen said that there were massive opportunities for destinations to boost their regional and intercontinental connectivity with the region’s airlines seeking to find routes to accommodate their vast orderbooks of new aircraft.

“…With the significant economic benefits that a new air service brings to a community, 2016 events like Routes Asia in Manila and World Routes in Chengdu will only help to facilitate the further evolution of a modern, well-connected Asia-Pacific region,” he added.

Maslen described the hosting of Routes Asia as an event that can “leave a lasting legacy” for the destination, country and wider region since it is showcased to airline decision makers with many new air services being negotiated and formalized.

Routes Asia, organized by Routes business, will be co-hosted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in its Philippine edition in Manila.

At present, over 60 airlines including Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, China Airlines, Hainan Airlines and British Airways have already registered for the 2016 event.

Expected to be tackled during the meeting is how the tourism industry can benefit from Asia Pacific’s aviation growth through the ‘Global Insights Impacting Tourism and Aviation’ panel discussion.

In an earlier interview, DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said that the event was vital to helping the country acquire additional frequencies on existing and new routes.

He pointed out that the Philippines relied on air connectivity “more than any other country in Southeast Asia” since the Philippines did not enjoy the same cross border advantage as its neighboring countries Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Routes Asia will be held from March 6 to 8 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. (PNA) RMA/Azer N. Parrocha