DUBAI-BASED carrier Emirates is optimistic about the Philippine travel market amid growing demand for leisure travel, a company official said.
”Our presence in the Philippines is very strong,” Saeed Abdulla Miran, Emirates Philippines country manager, told reporters on Wednesday.
Mr. Miran said that the airline’s passenger volume has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
“I do not have the number now on hand, but we see growth, a yearly positive growth,” he said.
He said travelers’ preferences have also changed, with more Filipinos prioritizing premium travel.
“We’ve noticed especially after the pandemic that premium travel demand is high in the Philippines. We saw that the product that’s missing is the first-class product. So today, we offer our passengers seamless connectivity through a first-class suite out of Manila to the world,” he said.
Air passenger volume jumped by 21% in the first nine months, as international travelers surged by 40%, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
Data from CAB showed that overall passenger volume grew by 21.2% to 44.09 million for the January-to-September period.
On Wednesday, the Dubai-based carrier launched its Emirates World retail store in Manila, the company’s first-ever retail store in Southeast Asia and its fourth in the world, next to its retail spaces in Hong Kong, London, and Nairobi.
Emirates World is a fully immersive retail store with smart technologies, allowing customers to book and manage trips, shop for essentials, and pick up gifts.
“The new Emirates World Store in Manila is designed to serve as a one-stop shop where customers can explore Emirates’ best-in-class products and services and provides visitors a glimpse of our onboard hospitality and excellence, ensuring the bar is set high when it comes to retail experiences both in the Philippines and across our global network,” said Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim.
The company said it is planning to launch more retail spaces with an estimated investment of AED 100 million over the next three years.
Emirates started its services in the Philippines in 1990. The airline offers 28 weekly flights, or about 22,700 weekly seats, between the Philippines and Dubai.
The company has signed an interline agreement with flag-carrier Philippine Airlines to boost connectivity for both airlines through the sharing of networks. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
