Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is the gateway to the Visayas and Southern Philippines and is the second largest airport facility in the country.
In November 2014, Filipino-led developer GMR MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) took over development of the all landside facilities of the MCIA under a 25-year Public-Private Partnership agreement. The contract includes the management and operation of the two terminals and any necessary expansions to these same facilities to ensure that MCIA can meet the demand of its steadily growing passenger traffic.
MCIA is envisioned as the “Friendliest Resort Airport,” with facilities and services reflecting the warm, friendly, and colorful resort experience that Cebu is known for.
The growth of the MCIA: maximizing Cebu’s strategic location
Cebu is an ideal gateway to the Philippines because of its central location and we intend to maximize this potential. Domestic destinations are less than an hour’s flying time from MCIA while destinations in Visayas and Mindanao are reachable in 30 minutes. This makes it a better alternative to Manila as a transfer point to destinations in the southern Philippines.
From just 23 domestic and 7 international destinations upon handover, MCIA is now connected to 32 domestic and 20 international destinations. MCIA also has 8 Philippine-based and 18 foreign airline partners.
Meanwhile, passenger growth since 2014 has also been sustained with a 13.6% growth year-on-year from 6.9 million passengers per annum (mppa) in 2014 to 11.5 mppa in 2018.
The growth of MCIA since handover and the continuous arrival of more passengers are the result of an aggressive marketing campaign to promote Cebu and its adjacent provinces. GMCAC works closely with partner airlines and stakeholders such as the Department of Transportation, Department of Tourism, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, travel operators, hotel and resort operators, among others, to promote Cebu to existing and untapped markets. GMCAC also holds regular roadshows and familiarization tours to market Cebu internationally.
Korea, China, and Japan both continue to be strong markets for Cebu. Currently, scheduled flights from MCIA connect to seven destinations in mainland China, namely Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Kunming and Shenzhen. Charter flights are also available during the peak season to other cities including Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Wenzhou, and Chengdu.(PR)
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