She explained that the number of people visiting Hungary from China on tourist or business trips increased by 19 per cent last year and this number could double over the next five years.

Ms. Szilas recalled that last May, the Chinese tourism authority opened a centre in Budapest dedicated to enhancing relations between the Chinese tourism agency and its counterparts in the region’s sixteen countries. She also pointed out that Hungary is home to the region’s most populous Chinese colony

The agreement on re-establishing the direct air link was announced by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó in mid-March. Mr. Szijjártó described the development as a further success of Hungary’s Eastern Opening strategy. The route will be served by Airbus A330-200 planes four times a week.

On their way from Beijing to Budapest, the planes will stop for a short while in the Belorussian capital Minsk but returning to the Chinese capital, the planes will fly directly to Beijing.

The direct air connection between Hungary and China was discontinued in March 2012 and talks to resume direct flights had been conducted since June 2014.

Source: hungarytoday.hu

Republished with permission