Chengdu, China, Sept. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting Sept. 4, Sichuan Airlines will launch a new Chengdu=Yinchuan=Dubai route. The route will operate twice weekly, with flights departing and returning on Tuesdays and Fridays. The service will be operated using an Airbus A330 aircraft. The flight number is 3U8945/6.Flight schedule: Chengdu to Yinchuan: 9:40–11:30, Yinchuan to Dubai: 13:30–18:00; Dubai to Yinchuan: 20:05–08:00 (+1); Yinchuan to Chengdu: 10:00–12:00(All times are local). Transit passengers can utilize Sichuan Airlines' existing route network to conveniently travel between Chengdu, Yinchuan, and Dubai. The launch of the Chengdu=Yinchuan=Dubai route will establish a direct air bridge from western China to Dubai, offering convenience for business travelers and tourists traveling between the two regions, and promoting cultural and economic exchanges between China and the UAE.
As an important hub connecting the globe along the New Silk Road, Dubai plays a key role in the "Belt and Road" strategic vision. In recent years, bilateral trade between Dubai and China has seen rapid growth, with China becoming Dubai’s largest trading partner by the end of last year. People-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two sides have also been continuously strengthening. According to Alix.Mohammed.Saif.Al Muhairi, CEO of the Dubai International Financial Centre, there are currently 3,000 Chinese companies engaged in trade and investment in Dubai, and the Chinese population in Dubai now accounts for 10% of the emirate's total population. In the first half of 2015, Dubai received over 241,000 overnight Chinese visitors, marking a strong year-on-year increase of 25%. The Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing office has 20 global branches, one-fifth of which are located in China, including in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. The China-Arab States Environment Cooperation Forum, to be held in Yinchuan in September 2015, will focus on the theme of "Green Silk Road and China-Arab Environmental Partnership," facilitating multi-sector discussions to support the development of the Belt and Road initiative.
As the largest city in the UAE and a major transit hub for economic and transportation links across Asia, Africa, and Europe, Dubai is the region’s most important center for trade, transport, tourism, and shopping, as well as a leading global financial center that bridges capital markets in the East and West. According to official Dubai data, the emirate’s total trade volume in 2014 reached $362 billion, with the world’s 22 largest banks having a presence in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Based on existing trade and economic demands, the new route will support the Belt and Road initiative by providing greater convenience for business travelers, officials, and tourists traveling between the two regions.
In recent years, Sichuan Airlines has accelerated its international expansion strategy. The Chengdu–Dubai route is another international route launched this year by Sichuan Airlines, following the addition of services to Kathmandu, Moscow, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Jeju. Prior to this, Sichuan Airlines opened the Chengdu=Shenyang=Vancouver route, becoming the first to establish a direct air link between western China and North America; it also launched routes from Chengdu to Melbourne and from Chongqing to Sydney, creating a loop product connecting western China with Australia. With the successive launch of new routes, outbound tourism to Canada, Australia, Russia, South Korea, and Thailand has continued to grow, with related travel products receiving strong market interest. The number of outbound travelers from western provinces transiting through Chengdu and Chongqing has also shown a steady upward trend. To enhance the reach of its international routes, Sichuan Airlines is leveraging its dense flight schedules in western China to actively develop connecting products via its Chengdu hub, meeting traveler demand and filling market gaps.