Himalaya Airlines successfully launched its inaugural flight from Kathmandu to Qingdao in China’s Shandong Province on Sunday. Flight H97220 departed in the morning with 114 passengers on board, while the return flight, H97221, is scheduled to return to Kathmandu in the evening.
Himalaya Airlines: A Nepal-China joint venture
This Nepal-China joint venture airline, established in August 2014, is now operating a weekly round trip from Kathmandu to Qingdao using an A320 aircraft every Sunday. This expansion comes after the airline resumed direct flights between Kathmandu and Beijing in June, which had been suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New air routes by Himalaya Airlines
The addition of new air routes by Himalaya Airlines is expected to attract more Chinese nationals to Nepal, fostering people-to-people exchanges and boosting the tourism industry in Nepal, as highlighted by Chen Song, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal. He emphasized that this new route not only supports economic cooperation but also deepens the friendship between the two nations.
Sudan Kirati, Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I’m very happy that we are having the very first international flight from Nepal to Qingdao City.” He believes that the flight connection between Nepal and Qingdao will draw an increasing number of Chinese tourists to Nepal.
The tourism sector holds significant importance in Nepal, contributing significantly to foreign currency earnings and employment opportunities within the country. This new flight route is expected to further strengthen Nepal’s tourism industry.
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