“There will be assessment of the volume of passengers. There are lots of OFWs coming from Iloilo so they might be flying directly to Hong Kong if it’s available,” he added.

The newly-opened P8-billion Iloilo Airport has been considered to host more flights locally and internationally.

The Iloilo City Local Development Council (ICLDC) earlier asked Philippine Airlines (PAL) to include Iloilo on its major regular route going to Caticlan in Malay, Aklan.

Caticlan Airport is the gateway to the famed island resort and white beach Boracay.

ICLDC passed a resolution requesting PAL president Jaime Bautista to include the Iloilo route in the flagship carrier’s “Express Fights” program to Caticlan and to make Iloilo a stop-over for its return flights from Caticlan to Cebu.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) reported that majority of foreign tourists take Manila or Cebu flights in going to Boracay, the country’s premier tourist destination and major income earner from tourism receipts.  Treñas said the Iloilo-Caticlan flight would give Boracay-bound tourists more convenience than taking the six-hour land trip.

“There’s a need to include Iloilo as a route of the PAL Express flights as hundreds of flight passengers are based here. Manila and Cebu are easily accessible with several airline flights and boat trips while tourists may want to have a stopover here before going to Boracay,” Treñas stressed.

The mayor is also optimistic that the flight from Caticlan bound for Iloilo will draw visitors to Iloilo as their side-trips.

“The city’s initial gain with the opening of the new airport is tourism. We should consider that if we have the tourism market, it brings along with it possible investments,” Treñas said.

“Tourists are coming and going around places. But they’re not just tourists, some of them are also investors. The airport will be of big help to the economy,” he added.

Earlier, the Center for Research and Communication (CRC) assessed that Iloilo Airport should attract foreign air carriers from Japan, South Korea and China to fly directly here.

CRC presented the “Iloilo International Gateway” prospects before the meeting of Iloilo Economic Development Foundation Inc. (Iled) which is composed of Ilonggo business executives lobbying for initiatives and promotions to woo prospective investors to come.