Hey, it's about time we hear some good news about our airports. We've heard enough of the worst this, worst that anyway. The Routes Asia 2023 Awards in Chiang Mai, Thailand recently concluded and our very own Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) bested roughly 200 and more airports in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Cebu airport topped all other competitors in the Under 5 Million Passenger Category. With international traffic now at 36 percent, the airport was helped out by new partner Starlux, who joined the MCIA group in January 2023.
"This recognition attests to our strong commitment to resume our pre-pandemic connectivity while we carry out our strategies in both airline and destination marketing," said GMR MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) Director Rafael Aboitiz.
He added: "We also recognize the substantial contribution of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), our airline partners and other airport stakeholders that help sustain the demand and traffic for air connectivity in Cebu."
Our Department of Tourism (DOT), on the other hand, won in the Destination category. The DOT was given the distinction for its initiatives to "reinstate discontinued routes and secure new air services."
Meanwhile, the world-famous Changi Airport in Singapore, which ranked seventh among the busiest airports worldwide, had been named the overall winner by the body.
Created in 1997, Routes Asia Awards recognizes the efforts of airports, airlines, individuals, and destinations that continue to innovate the route development industry. For this season, it rewarded those who had the best post-pandemic recovery strategies around Asia.