MANILA, Philippines – Budget carrier Cebu Pacific will offer direct flights to Japan’s winter wonderland, Sapporo, in the country’s northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido.
The airline said in a statement on Thursday, November 7, that it will operate flights between Manila and Sapporo every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Netizens earlier pointed out that Cebu Pacific’s website hadbeen offering flights to Sapporo prior to the airline’s announcement.
“We are thrilled to be the only carrier to offer non-stop flights between Manila and Sapporo. The launch of this route is a testament to Cebu Pacific’s mission of expanding its international network and making air travel accessible to a wider range of passengers,” Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Xander Lao said.
“We are excited to offer more Filipinos the opportunity to experience the winter charm of Sapporo,” he added.
This would be Cebu Pacific’s fifth destination in Japan. It currently serves flights between Manila and Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo.
According to travel and experience app Klook, Japan is one of the top destinations for Filipino tourists owing to transactions such as DisneySea, Universal Studios Japan, and teamLab planets.
But to head to Sapporo, Filipinos usually travel there via connecting flights as no airline offers direct flights from the Philippines to Sapporo.
According to Cebu Pacific, the direct flights will help travelers cut their travel time to five hours from the usual 10-hour travels.
Sapporo is the first city in Asia to host the Winter Olympic Games in 1972.
It is known for its winter activities — with the Sapporo Snow Festival held every February and tourists flocking to the Teine Ski Resort to go snowboarding. Hokkaido is known for its lavender fields and flower farms that are abloom from June to August.
Tourism websites also note that Sapporo is known for its beer as Hokkaido is said to be the “birthplace of beer” in Japan. Sapporo Breweries, brewer of the oldest beer in Japan, Sapporo Beer, has a dedicated museum. – Rappler.com
