Here's the original story: Birmingham Airport Continues Push for Chinese Link
This week we are looking at a story we released on December 4, 2013 about Birmingham Airport and their push to gain a Chinese link.
Last year, Birmingham Airport announced a new partnership with Chinese travel specialist, Caissa in a bid to attract more Chinese visitors to the region.
Alongside the new partnership, the airport had signed up to a partnership for the new ‘China Welcome Campaign’ which was launched by VisitBritain in an attempt to make the UK the most welcoming destination in the world for Chinese visitors.
Travel brands such as Hilton, easyJet, Harrods and John Lewis all signed up to the agreement, alongside Birmingham, Manchester and London as destinations.
The agreement accumulated trade and investment deals totalling over £5.6 billion and created over 1,500 UK jobs which were signed between UK and Chinese firms.
"Linking Britain to fast-growing markets like China is a vital part of the government’s plan to provide sustainable growth and compete in the global race,” said UK Prime Minister, Rt Hon David Cameron. "These announcements show the huge potential to increase business with China.
Paul Kehoe, chief executive officer, Birmingham Airport, said that through the partnership the companies will be working together in establishing Birmingham Airport as a gateway to the UK for Chinese tourism. “We are also proud to be part of the partnership which will strengthen ties between the UK and China,” he added.
A year on and where does Birmingham Airport lie in terms of securing a link to China? This Throwback Thursday, we have a success! Birmingham Airport secured a charter service from Beijing to the West-Midlands Airport this July (2014).
The China Southern A330-200 aircraft is operated by Caissa – one of China’s leading tour operators and part of the Birmingham Airport partnership which was signed in 2013.
The inaugural flight carried 248 Chinese tourists venturing into the UK on organised package tours. The sell-out tours are the first into a non-London airport, and highlight the demand for more flights between the two countries. The new route has been made possible thanks to Birmingham Airport’s £40 million runway extension.
"This is a historic day for Birmingham, and indeed the Midlands region. Never before has a commercial airliner touched down on a runway outside of the Capital from China and we are enormously proud to be the first to make this happen," said Paul Kehoe, the Airport's Chief Executive.
Although Birmingham Airport were rightfully excited by the arrival of the China link, they were not actually the first UK airport outside of London to see flights from China. In 2007 around 4,000 passengers flew between Manchester and Sanya through tour operator Airtours.
The size of the Chinese market has tripled over the past decade, and it is forecast to continue to grow strongly for the remainder of the decade. In 2012 the Chinese visitor market was worth £62 million to the West Midlands economy, with Birmingham now the 4th most popular destination for Chinese visitors in England.
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