Hainan plans to promote tourism by increasing international flights to the island province in the near future, according to the provincial tourism development commission.

This year, the province will launch 15 international flights, as well as resume several international flights that were previously halted, in an effort to attract more international tourists, according to the provincial civil aviation authority.

More than 150 South Korean tourists arrived at the Phoenix Airport of Sanya on April 30, which marked the resumption of the regular flight between Sanya and Seoul. The flight travels directly from Seoul to Sanya every Wednesday and Sunday.

"The resumption of the flight between Seoul and Sanya will be a major moral boost for the tourism industry in Hainan," said Chen Tiejun, deputy director with the provincial tourism development commission.

Chen said the authority will hold talks with its South Korean counterparts to ensure that the flight will be operated on a daily basis.

According to the authorities, Hainan will also open another five international routes in 2015, including the Haikou-Beijing-Brussels, Sanya-Beijing-Brussels, Haikou-Macao, Sanya-Singapore and Haikou-Jakarta routes.

The authorities will also work on the launch of flights between Sanya and Vientiane, Sanya and Luang Prabang, Sanya and Phuket, Sanya and Da Nang.

They will also explore possible air routes linking Haikou, Nanchang and Osaka; Haikou and Da Nang, and Haikou, Chengdu and Moscow. They are also studying the possibility to extend the Sanya-Shanghai route to Japan and Haikou-Shanghai route to Europe and the US.

There are a total of 21 international air routes served by two airports in Hainan - the Haikou Meilan Airport and Sanya Phoenix Airport.

Regular international flights available at the Haikou Meilan Airport include those connecting Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Perth and Bangkok.

Regular international flights available at Sanya Phoenix Airport include those linking Seoul, Osaka, Moscow, Hong Kong and Taipei.

huangyiming@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/10/2015 page10)