A view of the old city of Kashgar. [Photo/VCG]

China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines are set to begin direct flights between Shanghai and Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region starting May 10 and May 18, respectively, according to the Shanghai authority supervising the city's support to the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region.

Both airlines will operate direct flights three times a week, each on separate days, resulting in direct flights being available six days a week between the two cities. Previously, travelers flying from Shanghai to Kashgar had to endure transfers or layovers in Xi'an, Shanxi province, or Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, making the journey eight to nine hours. With the introduction of these direct flights, travel time will be significantly reduced to six and a half hours for the Shanghai to Kashgar route and five and a half hours for the return journey.

The launch of these regular direct flights will not only provide tourists from Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region with more convenient and comfortable travel options but will greatly benefit the tourism industry in Xinjiang. In 2023, Kashgar welcomed over 33 million tourists and the new direct flights are expected to further stimulate tourism in the region.

Moreover, given Kashgar's strategic location as a transit hub, the direct flights will play a crucial role in enhancing industrial cooperation and facilitating personnel exchanges between Central, West, and South Asia, as well as Europe, Shanghai, and China. The improved connectivity brought by these flights is poised to strengthen ties across regions and foster greater economic and cultural exchanges.

Source: cctv.com