Council Leader hails the return of a direct link to Beijing from Edinburgh Airport.
Hainan Airlines will relaunch the twice weekly service between the Scottish and Chinese Capitals this summer.
Welcoming the news, Council Leader Cammy Day said:
“We were the first city in Scotland to launch a direct flight to China so it’s fantastic to see this key link with Beijing return in time for the summer.
“Beijing has a bustling population of over 21 million and is a gateway to the rest of China, which means this route will provide residents and students with a welcome direct connection to family and friends. Plus, it will help Edinburgh-based businesses with their outreach overseas while massively encouraging tourism to our city.
“This is of course good news for our retail, accommodation and hospitality sectors who were hit hard during the pandemic. Thankfully, Edinburgh has been bouncing back and all evidence points to a positive tourism revival. In fact, Edinburgh Airport made a strong recovery last year - welcoming over 11m compared to just 3m in 2021 – and we fully expect this year to be even busier. We’re seeing more flight paths and busier schedules coming forward. Add to that our established ‘China Ready’ programme and we are well placed to provide a very warm welcome to visitors from China.”