Dusit expands in Philippines

BANGKOK, 31 July 2017: Dusit International has signed a hotel management agreement with Robinsons Land Corporation, a real estate company in the Philippines, to operate the Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu.

The five-star resort, situated on the northern peninsula of Mactan island, is slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The new beachfront resort will have 271 rooms in three buildings adjacent to RLC’s AmiSa private residences. Read more

AirAsia backs Davao gateway plans

DAVAO, 24 July 2017: Low-cost giant, AirAsia, has announced its latest route to Davao, Philippines with four weekly direct flights from Kuala Lumpur commencing 21 December 2017.

Operated exclusively by AirAsia (flight code AK), the new service is the fourth direct route from Malaysia to the Philippines after Manila, Cebu and Kalibo.

On the latter the airline has already flown 577,536 passengers in 2015 and 2016 alone. Read more

BW opens eighth hotel in the Philippines

BANGKOK, 24 July 2017: Best Western Hotels & Resorts is expanding its presence in the Philippines with its latest addition, Best Western Bendix Hotel, in San Fernando City, Pampanga, often called the country’s culinary capital.

The property is located on the McArthur Highway, a short 15-minute drive from Clark International Airport, or a 45- minute drive from Manila.

Best Western said the property was well-connected and convenient for both business and leisure travellers. Read more

Potholes disrupt Manila flights

MANILA, 11 July 2017: Runway potholes forced the Philippines’ main airport to divert several flights last week, officials said, in the third such disruption at the facility in the past year.

Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport operations chief Octavio Lina said the two potholes, both about 30 centimetres (12 inches) wide, were discovered making landings by large aircraft too dangerous.

“Even if the holes are small, the plane could land on its belly if the main landing gear hits them,” he told a news conference, adding the runway defect could lead to plane damage. Read more

Cebu Pacific boost Boracay flights

MANILA, 4 July 2017: Cebu Pacific has started evening flights to and from Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay Island.

CEB is the first carrier to introduce night flights and use the upgraded air traffic control system and newly-installed night navigational equipment at the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport.

CEB has added roundtrip flights daily between Manila and Caticlan and will be use ATR aircraft through its wholly owned subsidiary Cebgo. Read more

PAL buys aircraft to compete

MANILA, 21 June 2017: Philippine Airlines will buy seven planes from Canada’s Bombardier as part of an effort to regain its dominance of the growing air travel market, the carrier said Tuesday.

PAL said it sealed the deal for seven Q400 turboprops, worth USD235 million at list prices, at the Paris Air Show.

The carrier aims to increase its fleet serving smaller islands in the archipelagic nation. Read more

Swiss-Belhotel returns to Manila

MANILA, 19 June 2017: Swiss-Belhotel International has returned to the Philippines with the launch of Valero Grand Suites by Swiss-Belhotel.

The four-star Valero Grand Suites by Swiss-Belhotel offers 271 rooms ranging from 36 sqm premier twin rooms to 123 sqm three bedroom balcony suites rooms.

The property features a range of supporting facilities including a gym and spa, restaurants and coffee shops, a rooftop swimming pool and a choice of well-equipped function rooms. Read more

Cebu tweaks aircraft order

MANILA, 13 June 2017: Philippine carrier, Cebu Pacific, has placed an order with Airbus for an additional seven A321CEO (Current Engine Option) aircraft, for delivery from March 2018.

The aircraft will meet the airline’s increased capacity requirements pending the start of delivery of 32 A321NEO aircraft, which will now begin in the fourth quarter of 2018.

CEB has chosen to defer the A321NEO deliveries due to delays with the Pratt & Whitney engines selected to power the aircraft. Read more

Belmond booking office in Manila

MANILA, 7 June 2017: Luxury travel specialist, Belmond, has opened a new central reservations office in Manila, in a move to improve customer service in the Asia-Pacific region.

Belmond consultants will be based in Manila to arrange  travel to destinations in Myanmar, Peru, Africa and Italy, spanning the company’s portfolio of trains, river cruises, heritage hotels and safari lodges.

New toll-free telephone numbers have opened for 12 countries. Read more

Bombing continues in Philippines

MARAWI, THE PHILIPPINES, 30 May 2017: Security forces traded heavy gunfire with Islamist militants inside a southern Philippine city, Monday, as fears grew for up to 2,000 people unable to escape a week of fighting that has left women and children among the dead.

President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law across the southern third of the Philippines shortly after the fighting erupted, warning the gunmen were involved in an effort by the Islamic State group to set up a local caliphate.

But street-to-street battles and a relentless military bombing campaign has so far failed to end the crisis in Marawi, one of the biggest Muslim cities in the mainly Catholic Philippines, and authorities expressed alarm about the fate of those trapped. Read more

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