The UK’s first ever direct flights to Chongqing and Tianjin launch today with the departure of Tianjin Airlines’ Airbus A330 from Gatwick. Hainan Airlines subsidiary Tianjin Airlines will fly Gatwick-Chongqing-Tianjin twice weekly.

The new route will strengthen and develop links between the destinations, and also makes it easier for Chinese visitors from these 2 cities to visit London, southeast England and further afield.  Chongqing in southwest China is one of the world’s largest urban areas with a population of over 30 million while Tianjin in the northeast is China’s 4th largest city.

China recently moved into the top 10 source market for overseas tourists to the UK.  2015 visits to the UK were +46% to 270,000 year/year and spend +18%.  Around 120 million Chinese people travelled overseas in 2015 and Goldman Sachs forecasts that number will increase to 220 million by 2025.