SICOGON Island was a top international tourist destination before Boracay Island became popular.
CARLES TOWN, Iloilo — Operations at the Sicogon Island Airport are set to resume on December 16, 2022, in time for the Christmas season.
Direct flights from Manila to Sicogon and vice versa will be available every Friday and Monday starting December 16 via AirSWIFT Airlines.
Round-trip fare is set at 9,000 pesos per head.
Sicogon Island, some 146 km northeast of Iloilo City, is among the premier tourist destinations in Panay because of its long stretches of white-sand beaches, pristine waters, and the imposing Mt. Opao.
Miguel Reyes, resorts operation supervisor based on the island, said the resumption of flights is expected to drum up tourism.
According to Reyes, they have been accommodating 80 to 100 tourists per month in their resort since they reopened last January 2022.
They were expecting to double and even triple the number when the flights resume on December 16.
The direct flights would make the island very accessible and help tourists skip the long travel, he said. “It will be easier for [tourists from] Manila to get here,” he said.
Operations at the airport were halted for about three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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