TigerAir, the airline company that offers direct connection between Taipei and Puerto Princesa, has suspended its twice a week flights due to low traffic.
City Tourism Officer Demetrio Alvior Jr. said aside from the low number of outgoing passengers, Taiwanese tourists are also wary of the ongoing tension between Taiwan and China.
The airline used to have two flights between Taipei and Puerto Princesa City twice a week, scheduled every Sunday and Wednesday.
“The number of outbound (local) passengers is quite low, and besides, the tour is also seasonal,” Alvior told Palawan News.
The direct flight was first halted in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Tiger Air resumed the flight in December of last year but was halted again this April.
Alvior, however, said that the flights will resume again in June.
Meanwhile, he said that tourism arrivals in the city, which usually peak in the months of April and May, have changed direction a bit this year.
“Yung school year kasi nagbago. Yung mga estudyante dapat bakasyon so medyo nagbago ng konti (The school year changed, so students were supposed to have a vacation, which caused a slight change),” he said.
However, he added that the number of arrivals is still high, with visitors coming for conventions and study tours.
“Because our focus is still primarily on MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) tourism and other big events,” he said.
About Post Author
