Manchester-Beijing direct

THE first direct scheduled service from outside London to mainland #China has taken off from #Manchester Airport. The four-times-a-week Hainan Airlines service to Beijing has been hailed as a significant boost for the region and the government’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’ ambitions. 

The flights will give the 100,000 passengers who travel each year between the two cities the convenience of direct scheduled services.

The Manchester-Beijing route is estimated to be worth at least £250 million in economic benefits to the UK over the next decade. Two-thirds of this is expected to directly benefit the northern economy in terms of increased jobs, economic activity, and tourism.

Sally Balcombe, VisitEngland/VisitBritain chief executive, said: ‘We want to deliver a world-class visitor experience for Chinese visitors and making it easier for them to get here is a crucial part of our competitive tourism offer. We want to double the spend from Chinese visitors to £1 billion by 2020 and Hainan’s new direct route to Manchester will not only make it easier for visitors to come and explore regional Britain but also help us to deliver our ambitious plans for growth for this rapidly expanding market.’

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport John Whittingdale added: ‘This new route is a major breakthrough that will help boost tourism in the north of England. China is a hugely important trading partner, and more Chinese visitors coming to the UK is great news for the tourism industry and the whole economy.’

The service departs on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday, with return fares from £487.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Tempio d'estate @Bejing via photopin.com