The management of Cathay Dragon, which services the Davao-Hong Kong route four times a week, is looking at increasing the frequency to daily as it noted the good load factor.
At the Davao Investment Conference last week, Robin Bradshaw, country manager of Cathay Pacific, the mother company of the airline, said that there has been growth in the airline load factor as at present, load can go as high as 85% in bound and 83% outbound, although he did not mention the profiles of the passengers.
“My big ambition is to get that (number of flights) to daily as quickly as possible,” said Bradshaw, pointing out that the four-times- a- week service will be increased to five times a week as Christmas season is approaching.
The achievement that the airline has reached in terms of load factor, “does not happen normally as it will take you two to three years (to achieve it,” he said as the airline is using an Airbus 320 for the service.
He said the “(Davao Region) has great potential as tourist destination,”, adding that the region has tourist destinations, particularly eco-tourism, that can be promoted, particularly those outside the city and that are parts of its provinces.
However, Bradshaw said the region “has to compete” because there are other ready destinations that are ready to accept visitors and have better infrastructure facilities and are just three hours from Hong Kong.
He pointed out that there is a need for both the government and the private sector to work together not only to enhance the infrastructure facilities, but also to promote the region as a tourist destination.
The Dennis A. Uy-led Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. earlier presented an unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate the Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
Bradshaw said when it first ventured into servicing the route, launched in October 2018, the company encountered challenges like the lack of awareness among travelers.
“We have a job to do about teaching about educating (travelers),” he said, adding that the
Aside from those traveling from and to Hong Kong, the service also becomes the favorites among those traveling between the region and North America, Australia, Japan and even Europe. “We encourage our Japanese businessmen and tourists to come to Davao through Hong Kong,” he added, as he made the call to the about 50 Japanese investors who were attending the event.
He even called on the government that when it makes a pitch for the country to tourists, it must put “Davao on top of that list.”
