MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomed the announcement of the reopening of direct flights from France to the Philippines and vice versa.
In a statement, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said that the department “warmly welcomes” the announcement of French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel on the resumption of direct flights between France and the Philippines via the Paris-Manila nonstop service of Air France starting in December this year.
According to Frasco, this development will greatly “enhance ease of travel” and “provide much needed connectivity to Europe.”
“With France holding the second highest number of visitor arrivals from the European Union, this direct connection will provide unparalleled convenience for travellers, boosting tourism and enabling a more convenient journey to the Philippines,” Frasco said.
She extended her appreciation to Air France for its confidence in the Philippines as these direct flights will enable the country to showcase the best of what the Philippines has to offer through this new gateway.
“Through this air route, we are eager to welcome more visitors from France and the European Union, who will discover and love the unique charm of our islands, the warmth of Filipino hospitality, and the richness of our culture and heritage,” Frasco enthused.
“We are optimistic that this will pave the way for further expansion of direct flights to other key European destinations in the near future,” Frasco added.
Earlier, the French Embassy in the Philippines announced the resumption of direct flights between the Philippines and France, as well as the rest of Europe, starting December this year.
This was revealed by Ambassador Fontanel during a press briefing at Malacañang Palace, reflecting France’s “concrete commitment” to developing cooperation with the Philippines and strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
In attendance during the press briefing is Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista and Air France-KLM General Manager for Southeast Asia and Oceania Femke Kroese.
“The Paris-Manila route will officially open on the first weekend [of] December, a symbolic month that coincides with the festive Christmas season and the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, after five years of restoration work,” Fontanel said.
“In a few months, passengers will benefit from regular flights between the two countries, with a frequency of three flights a week,” Fontanel added.
The Ambassador also said that the event “marks a significant step in the strengthening of bilateral relations between France and the Philippines, offering new opportunities for mobility, and economic, tourism, cultural development, and student exchange.”
It will help boost French and European investment in a particularly dynamic Philippine market, Fontanel emphasized.
According to the Embassy of France, this initiative also illustrates Air France’s commitment to establishing a long-term presence in the Philippine market, at a time when flights between Europe and the Philippines are set to increase by +4.1% a year between now and 2042.
