Philippines Promotes Visayas Multi-Island Travel via Cebu Hub

Campaign Launch and Partners

The Philippines has initiated a new tourism drive, "Discover the Visayas, #FlyViaCebu", designed to encourage both international and domestic visitors to explore multiple destinations across the Visayas region. This campaign positions Cebu as a central hub for regional travel.

The initiative was formalised with a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on October 23, 2026. Key partners include the Philippine Department of Tourism, MCIA, and the Visayas Island-Chamber Tourism Alliance. Operating under the theme "One Gateway.

More Islands.", the campaign provides travel information to assist visitors in planning itineraries that combine several islands into a single trip.

Cebu's Connectivity and Transfer Services

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) serves as the primary gateway for this multi-island exploration, facilitating connections to various Visayas destinations through domestic flights, complemented by onward sea and land transport options.

MCIA's CEB Connects transfer service supports these connections, linking travellers across its network of 28 domestic and 13 international destinations.

The service offers minimum connection times of 35 minutes for transfers between domestic flights and 60 minutes for both domestic-to-international and international-to-domestic transfers, with automatic baggage handling between connecting flights. This infrastructure aims to streamline the travel process for those visiting multiple islands.

Featured Destinations and Booking Platforms

The "Discover the Visayas, #FlyViaCebu" campaign initially focuses on six distinct destinations: Lapu-Lapu, Panglao, Boracay, Siquijor, Guimaras, and Biliran. These islands offer diverse attractions, from the beaches and marine pursuits of Panglao and Boracay to the waterfalls and nature-based activities found in Siquijor and Biliran.

To aid trip planning and bookings, the campaign has partnered with digital travel platforms. Travellers can book flights and accommodation through Trip.com, while Klook provides access to a range of activities, local experiences, and specific partner offers across the participating islands.

Implications for Travellers and Regional Tourism

This campaign aims to encourage visitors arriving in Cebu to extend their stays and explore additional parts of the Visayas, thereby distributing tourism activity more broadly across the participating destinations.

For travellers, particularly those from other Asian markets, this means a more structured and accessible way to plan multi-island holidays in the Philippines, moving beyond single-destination trips.

The coordinated effort by the Philippine Department of Tourism and airport authorities seeks to enhance the overall visitor experience and boost the economic benefits of tourism throughout the Visayas region by promoting a cohesive travel network from a central Asian hub.