Batavia Air Serves Manado-Guangzhou Route

MANADO, KOMPAS.com - Batavia Air will serve direct flights between Manado in North Sulawesi and Guangzhou in China starting January 22, 2012, North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Sarundajang said at Sam Ratulangi airport here on Tuesday.

"Starting January 22, Batavia Air will serve Manado-Guangzhou rote and I hope other national airline company such as Lion Air will do the same in the near future," Sarundajang said.

The governor expressed optimism that following the opening of Batavia Air’s Manad-Guangzhou direct flights would stimulate the tourism sector in North Sulawesi and its surrounding areas.

"The number of domestic tourists visit to North Sulawes actually exceeds the the number of foreign tourists but it will increase quickly if there are direct flights from Manado to three more overseas cities," the governor said.

He expressed hope that there would be other flights from at least Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and the Philippines to Manado. "It is only one-hour flight from Manado to the Philippines namely to Davao and Cebu but to Manila is a little farther," Sarundajang said.

Therefore he said direct flights from Manado to the Philippines which were suspended would soon be reopened this year because a regional company has made a cooperation with Silk Air to serve the route.