Xinjiang to open charter flights to Thailand
( 2003-12-04 14:38) (Xinhua)
New travel services in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
are expected to boost tourism between the region and southeast Asian
countries.
According to the plan, several travel agencies in Urumchi, capital city of
the autonomous region, will supply charter flights for 320 Thai tourists both
from and to Bangkok on January 21 next year, the eve of the traditional Chinese
spring festival.
According to Liu Lingang, president of the Xinjiang Great Nature
International Travel Service, development of the charter flights between the two
sides with China Youth Travel Service is aimed at drawing more Thai tourists to
visit Xinjiang during their vacations for the Water-splashing Festival next
April.In 2000, more than 20 travel services in Thailand showed the interest in
the sightseeing route of the ancient silk road when they saw it during their
inspection tour of Xinjiang.
However, their interests were discounted for high cost of the flight for the
tourists.Some 1,000 yuan (about 120 US dollars) is expected to be cut from the
cost when the charter flights open, said Liu.Charter flights once opened between
Xinjiang and Malaysia but suspended service later because of the spread of
severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) disease.
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