📋 Tender Overview
Travel between the Philippines and Australia has become more accessible with the launch of Jetstar Airways direct flights connecting Perth to Manila on Friday, November 28, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco welcomes this direct air connectivity. She emphasized its importance in strengthening ties with the sixth-largest country in the world, as it is anticipated to enhance tourism, business, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. This flight represents more than just travel; it symbolizes our commitment to offering opportunities for tourism and business, making it easier for travelers to fly to Manila and further connect the Philippines to the world, the Tourism Chief added. Carrying 169 passengers, Jetstars six-hour and 35-minute inaugural flight was welcomed with some Filipino performances at the airport terminal. With this maiden flight to Manila, the low-cost airline with a capacity of 232 seats, will operate the Perth-Manila route three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Flight JQ80 will depart Manila at 5:35 a.m. and arrive in Perth at 1:00 p.m., while flight JQ81 will leave Perth at 9:10 p.m., arriving in Manila at 4:15 a.m. New seasonal route to Cebu Cebu City, dubbed the Queen City of the South, with its popular premier destinations, is expected to gain even more popularity among Australian tourists with Cebus first-ever direct connection to Brisbane. The new seasonal route, which will begin on December 3, 2025, and continue through May 16, 2026, will operate three times a week every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. As the country positions itself as a prime destination for Australian travelers, the direct flights open the door for more Australian tourists to explore the Philippines world-renowned beaches, vibrant cities, and rich cultural heritage. The vision is clear, the Philippines is so much more than a destination measured by tourist arrivals, it is an experience that is all at once enriching, immersing, and sustaining through the air connectivity, further expanding opportunities for our people, enhancing the countrys competitive edge on the global tourism stage, Secretary Frasco said. Aussies love the Philippines Australia is now the Philippines fifth-largest inbound tourism market. As of March 2025, 271,207 Australian travelers arrived in the country via air, accounting for about 5% of all tourist arrivals. A significant 53% of Aussies returned to the Philippines to rediscover popular tourist spots and experience Filipino hospitality. They favored destinations such as Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City; Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, known as the Last Frontier; and Boracay in Aklan, recognized as one of the worlds top islands. According to the latest DOT Visitor Survey, vacation is the primary reason for 66% of Australian tourists visits to the country, primarily for leisure, entertainment, and shopping. Additionally, the countrys tourism industry offers much more to the world, including its gastronomy, as evidenced by 58% of Australian visitors buying Filipino delicacies. Redefined tourism strategy through air connectivity The introduction of new direct flights will revamp the tourism strategy by bridging and facilitating seamless travel for Australian travelers, in line with the Philippines National Tourism Development Plan. As of November this year, 15 new international direct flights have commenced operations in the Philippines, fulfilling additional service requirements and supporting the DOTs strategy to boost international air access and grow the countrys presence in outbound markets. The DOT continues to boost Philippine connectivity, develop routes, and improve accessibility, not just to maintain as primary gateways but to develop its secondary gateways that will bring its tourists closer to their destination with ease. Meanwhile, also present at the NAIA Terminal 3 to welcome passengers at the reception were DOT Director Azucena C. Pallugna, DOT staff, and other stakeholders.
