Air China has launched direct flights between Beijing and Honolulu, continuing the sharp rise in air travel between the world's two largest economies.

The first nonstop flight - an Airbus 330-200 airliner operated by the Beijing-based Chinese carrier - touched down at Honolulu International Airport from Beijing on Monday. It was welcomed by Hawaiian Governor Neil Abercrombie, Air China Vice-President/North American General Manager Chi Zhihang and other officials.

The parties see the new flight as unique in being solely tourism-focused. "The market is in China," Chi said, calling Hawaii a tourist destination by nature.

He said the route is the first one he launched this year in the market he supervises. It shows the importance of the increasingly frequent exchanges between China and the US and underscores the opportunities for his company, he said.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority said the number of tourists from China soared 43 percent to 120,000 in 2012, the most in 24 years. "The average daily spending by Chinese visitors in 2012 was the highest among all visitor groups at $396 per person, compared to $372 per person in 2011," the authority said.

Governor Abercrombie said Hawaii's relationship with China stretches back more than 100 years - many Hawaiians are ethnic Chinese, he said. He said he hoped Chinese tourists could see Hawaii as their second home.

Fan Yanbing, who flew from Beijing to have a Hawaiian vacation with her daughter, a student in Michigan, called the trip - her first to the US - very impressive. "I heard Hawaii is a beautiful place, and it is really exciting to get together with my daughter in such a beautiful place," she said.

To make the new flight a success, the maiden run took place just two weeks before the Chinese New Year (Jan 31) and three weeks before Valentine's Day; thus, love and romance became the theme of the new route. There were about 270 passengers on the inaugural flight.

Air China prepared the launch with the Hawaii Tourism Authority and local hotels. Several months ago, Air China made seven-day and eleven-day tours of Honolulu available at a discounted price through its website. The Hawaii flight is the second that Air China launched between China and the US after starting flights to Houston in July. It is the sixth direct Air China flight between Beijing and North America, after Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver and Houston.

During the first 11 months of 2013, Hawaii welcomed more than 123,000 visitors from China. This year, the HTA projects reaching 182,000 visitors.

"China is a tremendous market for our tourism economy and this new route will provide greater ease of access to our Hawaiian Islands," said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the HTA. "The process to obtain a US visa in China has also improved, which will support our efforts to grow this expansive market."

The flight will operate three times a week arriving in Honolulu on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The HTA estimates the flight will provide $80.4 million in visitor spending and $8.6 million in state tax revenue annually.

wangjun@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 01/21/2014 page1)