Air New Zealand is starting a direct flight service to Beijing in time for the Beijing summer Olympics. They will be using a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft on the route.

They also have eyes on the expanding Chinese tourism market.

“Our Shanghai service has been very successful since we launched it in November 2006 and we’re looking forward to Beijing building to a similar level. It expands on our increasingly close relationship with China, providing us and the whole of the New Zealand tourism industry the chance to take a slice of the Chinese market,” said Group General Manager, International Airline, Ed Sims.

“The direct services will also help to promote New Zealand as a single holiday destination, rather than being an add-on to Australia. Last year 64 per cent of Chinese arrivals came to New Zealand via Australia.”

Chinese are slowly being given more freedom to travel internationally and many countries are realizing the potential of promoting tourism to Chinese tourists by easing once strict visa regulations. The first groups of tourists to visit Taiwan have taken place this week.

Read more: Air NZ’s new Beijing service takes off tonight