More flight routes to be opened in N. Sulawesi: Governor

North Sulawesi governor Sinyo H Sarundajang says that the province will see more flight routes opened this year.

“[Private airline] Batavia Air will launch a new route connecting Guangzhou and Manado on Jan. 22. The Philippine minister for tourism has promised to push its local airlines to open new routes to Manado this year, which is only an hour and half away from the country,” Sinyo said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Manado.

Sinyo added that private airline Lion Air had planned to open a hub in the province.

“The new routes will open access for international tourists from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Europe, Russia, as well as other Asian countries,” he said, citing that he was upbeat that the opening could further push tourism.

The province has targeted to reach 100,000 tourist arrivals this year, which more than doubles last year’s total of 40,000. The tourism industry contributed 15 percent to the province’s locally generated revenue (PAD) worth Rp 600 million (US$65,430) in 2011.(swd)