The Cebu Provincial Board聽 joined the appeal of Cebu businessmen, tourism stakeholders and the Cebu City Council to the management of Qatar Airways to reconsider its decision to suspend its Doha-Cebu route.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale sponsored the聽 resolution that said聽聽 鈥渢he impending cessation of flight operations of Qatar Airline will certainly threaten the Philippines鈥� booming tourism industry, vis-脿-vis the increasing influx of foreign tourists in the country.鈥�
鈥淭he provincial government of Cebu, while expressing sadness over the news, is hoping for the better that a turnaround decision of the airline management be possible for the benefit of Cebu鈥檚 tourism industry,鈥� the resolution said.
Magpale, chairperson of the PB鈥檚 committee on tourism, said she was willing to help Qatar management in whatever way she could.
She said she discussed this issue with聽 officers of the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC).
鈥淲e are willing to help them鈥� organize fun tours. We want to meet with them,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 want to go beyond. If we can be of help to them in whatever way. Gamit kaayo nga rota (It鈥檚 an important route). We will be affected,鈥� she said.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia welcomed the Provincial Board鈥檚 move.
Garcia, a board member of the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), said in聽 a press conference聽 that the board agreed to ask the management of Qatar about the major route change.
She said that the MCIAA was not 鈥渙fficially鈥� informed about this turn of events.
She said the matter was only brought up by a member of the board during their meeting in mid February.
Qatar Airways will suspend its Cebu-Doha flights by March 26 because of high fuel prices and high operations cost making the route no longer profitable. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus