The Aboitiz-led Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has successfully established a formal quarterly collaboration and exchange working committee with Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport, following the resumption of air connectivity between Manila and Fujian, China, last March, to boost tourism and trade between the two regions.

At the signing ceremony this June, the collaboration is aimed at maximizing the recent resumption of Xiamen Air’s direct flights between Cebu and Quanzhou.

The proposal was presented by Aboitiz InfraCapital Airports chief executive officer Athanasios Titonis during a strategic meeting with Jinjiang government officials and airport leaders, including Party Secretary Jianfeng Huang.

Titonis said the deep historical ties connecting the two regions, and the enduring ties were formally recognized when Cebu and Fujian established a sister-province relationship in 2018 to foster cooperation in tourism, culture, trade and economic development.

“The relationship between the Philippines and China has long been shaped by trade, cultural exchange, and people-to-people connections,” Titonis said.

“One of the strongest examples of what collaboration can achieve is the partnership between Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport, and the resumption of flights by Xiamen Airlines to Cebu just last March. Even during periods of uncertainty, including rising fuel costs and other industry headwinds, we have continued to work together to sustain connectivity, support tourism, and create opportunities for our communities,” he added.

To translate the shared goals into actionable results, a structured quarterly exchange working committee was established between MCIA, Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport and Xiamen Airlines.

The platform is designed to allow leadership and operational teams from both airports and the airline to regularly share insights, monitor progress, and explore joint initiatives.

The collaborations’ focus included technological innovation, which connotes sharing best practices in leveraging Artificial Intelligence to optimize operational efficiency and elevate the passenger experience; commercial and route development, identifying new opportunities to stimulate tourism, encourage bilateral investment, and support regional economic growth, and operational resilience, with the focus on strengthening safety, security, and sustainable growth mechanisms amidst shifting global market conditions.

“The partnership demonstrates that resilience is not built by any single organization, but it is built through trust, shared commitment, and a common belief in the long-term value of connecting people and places,” Titonis said.

Through proactive international engagements, the MCIA official said it reinforces its mandate to drive economic growth in the region through robust aviation connectivity as the premier transfer hub in the Philippines.