A chartered plane carrying 170 tourists departs from Ningbo Lishe International Airport for Boracay Island in the Philippines on July 4. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

A chartered plane carrying 170 tourists took off from Ningbo Lishe International Airport on July 4, bound for Boracay Island in the Philippines.

The passengers will embark on a five-day adventure around the island, marking the first outbound island package tour from Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, in three years.

The tour has drawn an impressive number of families, with five to six families signing up together, totaling 40 people, according to Shen Yongjun, vice president of Daren Tourism Group, one of the organizers of the tour.

Setting itself apart from other summer vacation travel packages, typically priced at over 10,000 yuan ($1,381), this chartered tour has proven to be extremely cost-effective. With over 100 tourists onboard, the tour costs a mere 3,000 yuan per person, making it an affordable option for many.

Operated by Loong Airlines, the flights from Ningbo to Boracay Island are available thrice a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The outbound flight, designated as GJ8655, departs from Ningbo Lishe International Airport at 2:55 pm and arrives at Kalibo International Airport in Boracay at 6:30 pm. The return flight, numbered GJ8656, takes off from Kalibo International Airport at 7:30 pm, and reaches Ningbo at 10:45 pm.

Boracay Island is widely recognized as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines, known for its pristine white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. During the Asia Conference on Marine Tourism 2022 held in Ningbo last July, the island secured an impressive third place among the top 10 Asian ocean tourism destinations among Ningbo residents.