MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is seeing a significant boost in leisure and business tourism with Air Canada’s new Vancouver-Manila route.

The passengers of the maiden direct Vancouver to Manila flight arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Gate 116 in Pasay City on Thursday at 6:04 a.m.

The DOT prepared a festive welcome, including performances from local talents, as well as giving of leis and tokens.

Air Canada will operate three nonstop flights per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) throughout April and increase to four flights per week by May.

The DOT’s Office of Market Development said that the mounting of the direct operations between Vancouver and Manila will provide a total annual capacity of 57,216 seats, averaging 4,768 seats per month.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said she expects the new route to provide more opportunities for tourism and business, providing easier access for Filipino-Canadians to fly to Manila while further opening up the country to the Canadian market.

“The launch of this nonstop flight is to significantly boost leisure and business tourism, further contributing directly to our local economies and enhancing the livelihood of our communities," she said in a news release on Friday.

Frasco highlighted that Canada plays a significant role in Philippine tourism as a source market.

"Canada, being home to nearly 1,000,000 people of Filipino descent, is one of the largest diasporas globally. And therefore, this inaugural Air Canada flight will further foster cultural connections between our countries and drive economic growth,” she said.

“(The) inaugural flight represents more than just mere travel, for it symbolizes a powerful bridge connecting our countries closer than ever before,” she added.

Based on DOT data as of April 3, the Philippines has welcomed 1,682,531 visitors this year, including 91,671 from Canada.

In 2024, Canada ranked sixth in tourist arrivals in the Philippines, with 269,300 visitors contributing USD304.32 million to the local economy.

This represents a 6.80 percent growth in arrivals from Canada compared to the previous year.

The introduction of Air Canada’s non-stop flights between Vancouver and Manila reduces the previous 20-hour journey to just 12 to 14 hours.

Air Canada managing director Rocky Lo recognized the Philippines as a fast-growing market.

"The flight has solidified Air Canada's position as the North American airline, serving the most non-stop destination in this region, supporting Canada's Inter Pacific strategy,” Lo said.

Lo added that Filipino students represent the third-largest overseas student population in Canada, underscoring the importance of direct flights for both educational and cultural exchanges.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman, for his part, said this new route was mounted in part due to the “new and economic reforms in the Philippines”.

“Recognizing the importance of this route and investing in a service that meets the growing demand for travel between North America and the Philippines,” he said.

“This flight not only reflects the deep ties between our nations, but it will also opens new opportunities for trade, tourism and overall people to people connections,” he added. (PNA)