Philippine Airlines (PAL) will open a new direct route connecting the Philippine city of Davao with Manado in North Sulawesi.

The airline’s area manager for Indonesia, Bryan Sansolis, said that the direct route would connect the North Sulawesi city with other parts of the Philippines as well as the world.

“From Davao, they can go [to] Cebu and Manila. [This route will] also connect the world to Manado because Manila and Cebu are our international hubs that are connected with the [United States], China and Japan,” Bryan told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He added the new route would “drive tourism and business between the two countries, as it will connect the southern Philippines and eastern Indonesia.”

“Manado is a strategic location,” Bryan went on to say.

The first flight for the route is scheduled to take off on May 17. The service will operate three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

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North Sulawesi Tourism Agency head Henry Kaitjily said the administration welcomed the good news, as it might have a positive effect on North Sulawesi’s tourism, providing international businesspeople with the opportunity to visit the province.

Davao City is known for its tourism and also as one of the business centers of the southern part of the Philippines.

“This is a positive step to get into the potential tourism markets of the two countries,” provincial expert staff member on tourism Dino Gobel said. (gis)

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article -- titled "Philippine Airlines to open direct flight connecting Manado, Manila" -- erroneously stated that the new route would connect Manila and Manado. We have added more details about the route as well as Philippine Airlines' statement. We apologize for the mistake.