Join +750K new investors every month who copy stock picks from billionaire's portfoliosSign Up Free

China's airlines set sights on Spain, adding more flights

Published 07/07/2023, 11:44
Updated 07/07/2023, 11:45
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Air China is pictured on a tail of an airplane parked at the aircraft builder's headquarters of Airbus in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 15, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo
ICAG
-

By Corina Pons

MADRID (Reuters) - Chinese airlines have upped the number of weekly flights to Spain by more than five times since the end of China's zero-COVID policy in December, filling most of the gap left by European rivals due to a ban on flying over Russia.

"We've managed to restore 60% of the direct connections (with China) we had before the pandemic, and we hope to increase this figure by year-end and close the gap next year," Miguel Sanz, general director of Spain's tourism board Turespana, told Reuters.

Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Hainan Airlines have in the past four months launched a total of 16 weekly flights to Madrid and Barcelona from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Chongqing, according to Turespana.

In late 2022, Chinese airlines operated only three flights.

Shenzhen Airlines is preparing to launch three flights to Barcelona, and another airline Sanz would not identify is considering connecting a Chinese city with southern Spain.

Airlines, including European ones, used to operate 30 weekly flights during the high season between China and Spain before the pandemic. Spain received 700,000 Chinese visitors in 2019. This year's numbers are not yet available.

Unable to fly through Russian airspace because of the war in Ukraine, IAG (LON:ICAG)'s Spanish unit Iberia has not resumed its Shanghai connection as alternative routes are too costly.

Spain is one of the world's most-visited countries with mass-tourism destinations on its Mediterranean coast. The capital city, Madrid, underwent a facelift during the pandemic as part of a plan to attract five-star hotels and high-spending tourists.

Seeing an opportunity to diversify connections, Turespana moved quickly to attract Chinese carriers back to Spain as soon as Beijing dropped its tough travel restrictions.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Air China is pictured on a tail of an airplane parked at the aircraft builder's headquarters of Airbus in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 15, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo

Sanz said he was the first Western tourism official to visit China earlier this year to promote that plan with authorities, tour operators and airlines.

Sanz, who also chairs the European Travel Commission, pointed to similar levels of pent-up demand for travel in China as in Europe or America. Spain is strengthening consular services in China to make visa approval swifter, he added.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.