Four charter flight routes will encourage more well-off Chinese to spend their vacations and honey- moons on the pristine beaches of the Philippines, a top tourism official said Friday.

Chinese tourists now can board the twice weekly charter flights from affluent coastal cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan to reach Boracay and Cebu -- the two most popular Philippine tourist islands, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said in a press release.

Durano said the launch of direct air links reflects "a growing demand" from the Chinese market, a stable source of tourists in time of the global crisis.

"We have been aggressively pushing for these additional seats," he said, adding that he expects the influx of Chinese tourists will last until the year-end, particularly supporting the industry during the tourist lean season that usually runs from July to October.

More than 160,000 Chinese visited the Philippines last year, pushing China as a major emerging market just behind the United States, Japan and South Korea, data provided by the Department of Tourism show.

As household income soars, a growing number of urban Chinese have taken on overseas travels and more young couples are planning a romantic escape to exotic islands.

Eduardo Jarque, Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions, said they are positioning the Philippines as a "prime destination" for young Chinese lovers because of the archipelago's natural beauty and travel facilitation like the charter flights and a visa-upon-arrival policy.

With 7017 islands, the Philippines hosts some of the world's finest white-sand beaches and the most spectacular diving sites.

(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2009)