Taichung–Yichang Direct Charter Flights Launched, Making Trips to the Three Gorges Easier for Central Taiwan Travelers

▲ Yichang’s famous 5A-level tourist attraction—Three Gorges Home (Photo / Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Reported and photographed by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

Yichang is the second-largest city in Hubei Province and the site of the Three Gorges Dam, home to numerous 5A and 4A-level scenic spots. StartingMay 10, the first tourist charter flight from Yichang on the mainland to Taichung will be operated by Taiwan’s TransAsia Airways, using an Airbus A320 aircraft, with the entire journey taking about three hours.According to the initial plan, after the launch of the direct Taichung–Yichang charter flights, there will be one flight per Saturday from May to June, increasing to one flight each on Tuesdays and Saturdays from July to October. From November to May of the following year, it will revert to one flight per Saturday. The addition of Taichung flights is expected to enhance tourism appeal.

▲ Yichang Vice Mayor Liu Jianxin (third from right) leads the delegation on the inaugural flight to Taiwan, showing the city’s emphasis on Taiwan.

To demonstrate its regard for Taiwan,Yichang Vice Mayor Liu Jianxin specifically led a municipal government team on the inaugural flight to Taiwan. In addition to promoting six tourism routes planned for this year—including a full Yangtze Three Gorges tour and a Three Kingdoms cultural heritage tour—he also signed cooperation agreements with several Taiwanese travel agencies, including Ding Yun, Lion Travel, Credit Travel, and the New Generation Tourism Association.

Liu Jianxin stated that apart from discussing how to enhance tourism interaction between both sides of the Taiwan Strait, it was even more important to announce the good news of the direct Taichung–Yichang flight. Aside from flight accessibility, for Taiwanese travelers, the high-speed rail from Yichang to Chongqing is set to open soon, and the network of expressways will become increasingly comprehensive, making future trips to Yichang to explore the Three Gorges more convenient.

% Travel agencies have signed cooperation agreements with Taiwanese counterparts.