TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-Low cost carrier (LCC) Citilink Indonesia has opened a direct flight of Manado-Hong Kong route. Its initial flight has began on Tuesday, July 12, 2016.
Citilink Indonesia Commercial Director Hans Nugroho said the flight departed from Hong Kong International Airport at 7:30 p.m. (local time) to Sam Ratulangi Airport Manado. “The plane carried 174 passengers from Hong Kong and China,” Hans said in a statement on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
Hans said the flight eases the travelers from Hong Kong and China who want to visit Manado since they will no longer need to transit in Jakarta. “It is far easier because we can directly fly from Hong Kong to Manado,” said Hans.
Manado Vice Governor Steven Kandouw says North Sulawesi is the gate of northern Indonesia; he expects Citilink to make North Sulawesi as one of its hub.
Citilink’s pioneer flight to Hong Kong is scheduled on Saturday, July 16, from Sam Ratulangi Airport. Hans said there are six other flights for the Manado-Hong Kong route until the end of July 2016.
According to the Tourism Ministry, Indonesia receives the most number of visits from Chinese travelers. The government targets 2 million Chinese tourists in 2016. According to Hans, Citilink expects to accommodate 3,000 travelers by the end of August 2016.
VINDRY FLORENTIN
