Travelers from China have gained easier access to the Philippines. The Department of Tourism (DOT) recently welcomed three new direct flight routes.
These flights connect Manila to Hangzhou, Changsha, and Chongqing. The expansion aims to boost tourism and strengthen air links with China.
Yang Yan, 39, is a frequent visitor from Hangzhou. She previously had to travel to Shanghai to catch a flight to Manila.
“It’s not my first time in Manila, but it’s my first time flying direct from Hangzhou to Manila, so it feels very convenient for us. The flight only takes around three and a half hours,” Yan said.
XiamenAir launched the Hangzhou–Manila route on May 20. It operates four times weekly through October 2026.
Qingdao Airlines began a Changsha–Manila service on May 16. XiamenAir also started a Chongqing–Manila route on May 21.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay highlighted the importance of these new connections.
“Under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we are accelerating the restoration of air connectivity from China because we recognize that this market remains one of the Philippines’ biggest opportunities for tourism growth,” she said.
She noted that visitor arrivals from China are growing quickly. However, she emphasized that more must be done to meet demand.
“At the same time, recovery remains well below pre-pandemic levels,” she added. “Current seat capacity from China has recovered to only about half of 2019 levels, while visitor growth is already outpacing the pace of capacity restoration. This tells us that the challenge is no longer demand alone – it is our ability to convert that returning interest into actual travel through sufficient, reliable, and commercially sustainable access.”
The Philippines recorded over 7.7 million international air seats between January and May 2026. This is an 8.31 percent increase from the previous year.
The DOT considers these new routes vital to the National Tourism Development Plan. The government aims to make travel more accessible to support the local tourism industry.
