Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña announced through his Facebook post that the city is bound to get the first multi-route seaplane airplane in the Philippines right in the South Reclamation Project (SRP).

Osmeña added the first route will cover the SRP to Lakawon Island in Negros, while the second one will likely be in Malapascua.

The Cebu City mayor also said that Cebu is indeed an ideal access point for being at the center of the country, something that would help attract more tourists to the Philippines, especially the long-term vacationists from Europe.

“Promoting Cebu as an access point for other parts of the country will boost our international and domestic tourism greatly; we have almost 10 direct flights every day from Korea alone; if potential tourists realize that you can fly directly from Cebu to the very beach of the resort you’re staying in, many more will come. Europeans, who typically take longer holidays, can be particularly marketed to for this,” Osmeña wrote.

Establishing Cebu as a better point of entry will benefit the Cebuanos with the boost in tourism and possibly more development in the rural areas, said the mayor.

“There are only two major points of entry into the Philippines: Cebu and Manila. If we can show that coming through Cebu is easier and more attractive, we benefit even from the tourists who just pass though, and in many cases we benefit even more because many do decide to spend a few days here,” Osmeña said.

“It also encourages development in the countryside; you cannot force a businessman to build in the middle of nowhere; you must show him that there’s a market for it and that it’s the right decision to make. This will decongest our urban centers, encourage development outside, and boost our economy with the infusion of foreign currency. It’s really a win-win,” he added.