CEBU CITY, Cebu — The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is appealing to the manage-ment of Qatar Airways seeking for a reversal of the latter’s decision to suspend its Cebu-Doha route effective this April.
“We are indeed struck by this news as Qatar Airways since 2003, has made exemplary contributions in bridging and building up business, investment and tourism of Cebu to the various destinations around the world more particularly in Europe and the Middle East,” read CCCI’s position letter signed by its president Samuel Chioson.
According to the CCCI, “Qatar Airways made a commitment during its inaugural Doha-Cebu QR638 flight that landed in Cebu City on December 11, 2003 after a brief stopover in Singapore, to extend services to the Philippines with the new thrice-weekly service to Cebu being its 48th destination.”
This means that a number of passengers not only Filipinos working in the Gulf States have been able to take advantage of the only direct flight from the region to Cebu.
The Chamber believes suspending Qatar Airways flights to Cebu would have adverse effect to the economy of Central Visayas in particular, and the Philippines in general.
Earlier, the Hotel and Restaurants Associations in Cebu (HRRAC), the Cebu Tourism Association, the Philippine Retailers in Cebu, the Philippine Association of Real Estate Brokers in Cebu, and the different sectoral organizations, who are members of CCCI, recognized the “tremendous” participation of Qatar Airways in transforming Cebu as the business and tourism hub in the country and in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The HRRAC for one is in Melbourne, Australia securing more markets for Cebu. The Department of Tourism envisions to gather over four million foreign tourist arrivals this year. The major operators in this industry are already up in arms closing contracts to Cebu’s advantage,” Chioson said in a follow-up interview.
Chioson said while Cebu’s business community understands the factors triggering Qatar Airways’ decision to suspend flights to Cebu, still, “we are appealing to the airline to reconsider its decision since Cebu is in dire need of its services as a direct link to Europe and the Middle East.”
In an earlier advisory sent to its partners and clients, the airline said it will stop servicing the Cebu-Doha route because of rising fuel cost and high operating expenditure. The airline said passengers with flights after March 26 will be provided with alternative flights like the Manila-Doha route flying twice-weekly
