On October 19, the “Fly Chongqing” London-Chongqing Route Promotion Conference was successfully held in London. Organized by Chongqing Airport Group and Tianjin Airlines, with support and guidance from the Chongqing Culture and Tourism Development Commission, the event brought together over 80 representatives from the aviation, tourism, business, and media sectors of both countries to discuss route operations, destination promotion, and inbound travel collaboration.

Zhang Li, Director of the China National Tourist Office (CNTO) London, attended the event and delivered a speech. He highlighted the direct route’s positive role in facilitating bilateral cultural exchanges and boosting inbound tourism. Noting that China’s unilateral visa-free policy for UK citizens provides significant convenience for travel and trade, he expressed hopes for closer industry cooperation.

CNTO London aims to jointly develop “aviation + tourism” products and organize familiarization trips for UK travel agents and cultural travel influencers to visit Chongqing, allowing the British public to experience an authentic, dynamic, and multidimensional China.

Lei Biming, Vice General Manager of Chongqing Airport Group, emphasised that Chongqing is accelerating its development as an international aviation hub and will continue to work with partners to optimize route networks and passenger services. Dominique Ross, Senior Manager at Heathrow Airport, affirmed the critical value of direct aviation connectivity in international exchanges and looked forward to deepening cooperation with the Chinese partners.

Aviation and airport executives shared operational milestones during the conference. Fang Yesong, Director of the Marketing Committee at Tianjin Airlines, stated that since the route’s resumption on May 3, 2023, it has operated over 650 flights, carrying more than 120,000 passengers and 5,700 tons of cargo and mail.

This year, transit passengers account for approximately 50% of the route’s traffic, utilizing Chongqing’s strong connectivity to over 60 domestic cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen.

Dominique Ross, Senior Manager at Heathrow Airport, affirmed the critical value of direct aviation connectivity in international exchanges and looked forward to deepening cooperation with the Chinese partners.

The event also showcased Chongqing’s rich tourism appeal to the UK travel industry.

As a major gateway to western China, Chongqing offers a distinctive blend of urban architecture and natural landscapes. Visitors can explore the Mountain City Trails, ride the Yangtze River Cableway for panoramic river views, and experience the vibrant night scenery of Hongya Cave.

Beyond the city center, the artistic charm of the Dazu Rock Carvings (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the spectacular natural wonders of the Wulong Karst (such as the Three Natural Bridges) provide diverse options for international travelers.

For the winter-spring aviation schedule, Tianjin Airlines operates the London Heathrow (LHR) to Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG) route twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) using Airbus A330 aircraft. Flight GS7966 departs London at 21:00 and arrives at 15:50 the following day, while GS7965 leaves Chongqing at 15:00 and arrives at 19:00 (all local times).

To further enhance passenger service, Tianjin Airlines offers tailored promotions, including a complimentary extra 23kg checked bag for eligible student travelers and up to an 8% discount for multi-passenger bookings.