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Jesus Hinojosa / Nuria Triguero
Malaga
Monday, 2 September 2024, 19:53
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The regional government hopes Andalucía will have a direct air link with China by 2025, which would increase the number of Chinese tourists to the region by about 188% to approximately 50,000 a year.
Following a meeting with Air China executives on Friday 30 August as part of the Junta president's trip to Beijing, regional minister for tourism Arturo Bernal said talks had been "very positive".
The regional government is "very confident" the objective of having a direct flight between Andalucía via Malaga or Seville airport and China - via Beijing or Shanghai - "will be a real objective by 2025", he added.
Malaga's tourism sector had no doubt its city's airport should be the one chosen. Malaga Airport is better than that of Seville to host a direct flight with China, tourism sector sources told SUR. Unlike Seville, Malaga Airport operates 24 hours and is much better connected by train and bus, Sergio García, president of the Association of Travel Agencies of Andalucía (Aedav) and the Costa del Sol said.
The Junta is in "regular" contact with Air China "to see how the demand of the Andalusian market in China, and of China in Andalucía, is evolving," Bernal said. Air China, is the fourth largest carrier in the world when it comes to the number of aircraft and passengers handled in a year.
The minister also said, "Andalucía is now obtaining 16% of the share of all Chinese citizens who travel to Spain and do not have a direct flight," which was the main argument the Junta put forward.
He pointed out some 63,000 people from China visited Andalucía for stays of more than 10 days in 2023, with an average expenditure per person per day of 288 euros, and almost 3,000 euros for their total stay. "That is a tourist with a high spending capacity, highly motivated by culture, historical heritage, and nature," Bernal added.
The Chinese also flock to the region in the second half of the year, which helps bring in visitors outside peak season, the minister pointed out.
At the meeting, they also discussed "the elements that make us grow in demand", and expressed the commitment of the Junta and Air China to "work together to strengthen these elements so that in the following months we can propose a direct flight".
"The demand of Chinese tourists to Spain is covered through the airports of Madrid and Barcelona, which are already consolidated, and Air China is looking for a third airport in Spain for its expansion plans," Bernal said. "That is why I believe that we have a really serious chance of having this direct flight in the near future," Bernal added, who also estimated the increase of Chinese passengers - if a direct flight was to be established - to be at 188%.
Founded in 1988, Air China is one of China's leading state-owned airlines. Since its creation, it has experienced significant growth, "consolidating its position as one of the largest and most respected airlines in the country", with its headquarters in the country's capital, Beijing, and its main base of operations at Beijing Capital International Airport.
In September 2023 and May 2024, Junta representatives visited China for the ITB fair in Shanghai, where they promoted travelling to Andalucía through the regional tourism campaign, Andalusian Crush.
For the Junta, the added bonus of having a direct flight - based on data compiled from other airlines - is that in its first year the number of travellers would increase by 188%, based on a "conservative" figure, which is that of the 63,000 tourists the region currently welcomes from China - 15,000 will do so with a direct flight.
In the first year the estimate is 35,103 passengers; in the second year, 42,124, and in the third year, 45,072, while in the fourth year it would be 47,326, almost 50,000.
After the meeting with Air China, Junta president Juanma Moreno is scheduled to visit the campus of Tsinghua University in Beijing this week where he will have a meeting with the Tsinghua Holdings business group at its control centre, Beijing Tsinghua Safety. He will also go to the Spanish embassy in China.
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