Business leaders, universities and tourism chiefs say a new direct flight from the North West to China will deliver a major boost to the region.
Hainan Airlines will start flying from Manchester Airport to Beijing from June 10. It is the first ever direct service from the North to mainland China.
A host of business groups, as well as individual companies, have all praised the new service and believe it is a massive benefit to the region and will unlock new business opportunities for the region. The Universities of Manchester and Liverpool believe it will be a massive benefit to students.
Currently, more than 100,000 people from the North fly to mainland China every year but have to travel indirectly via London or other overseas hubs.
It is estimated the Hainan route – which will take 10.5 hours – will deliver an economic boost to the UK worth £250m. A large chunk of that will be felt across the North West, as a result of productivity gains for businesses; the stimulation of trade and inward investment between the Far East and the region and by bringing hundreds of thousands of tourists to this part of the world every year.
Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK and Chairman of the North West Business Leadership Team, said:
“Developing strong business ties with China is essential for securing solid economic growth across the UK. If we are to export more, and develop stronger trade relationships, we need faster access to emerging markets.”
Damian Waters, CBI North West Regional Director said:
“Access to key growth markets is vital to the future prosperity of the North West. China is already a key market for many businesses in the region, while many others will be seeking to forge trade links over there in the coming months and years. Because of this, having a direct flight service from the region’s primary international gateway to Beijing is of strategic importance and should deliver real economic benefits to all parts of the North West.”
David Pinder, CEO of Baxi in Preston, Lewis Hannam, Managing Director of Red Lantern Digital Media and Mike Perls, chair of IoD North West, agreed that the direct flight links are vital in boosting trade and particularly important for Northern exporters.
The recent Chinese investments in the Northern Powerhouse asset base shows the potential for international trade that easier access to Asia will unlock.
As well as helping businesses across the North West forge and strengthen new links with the Far East, tourism is set to increase with Chinese visitors on inbound flights now getting much easier and quicker access to key tourist destinations.
Katrina Michel, chief executive of Marketing Cheshire, said:
“Having a direct link to mainland China will deliver a significant boost to Cheshire in a number of ways. Firstly, we know we are home to a wealth of tourist attractions that will be appealing to visitors from the Far East, such as the city of Chester, Chester Zoo, Jodrell Bank, Tatton Park and Cheshire Oaks, to name just a few.
“In addition, the route will be key to our efforts to boost trade between Cheshire businesses and China, as well as attracting inward investment.”
Ian Stephens, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, said:
“The addition of these new direct flights from China is a really positive boost to Cumbria’s £2.62 billion tourism industry, making it easier than ever before for Chinese visitors to explore iconic landscapes including the English Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall. Some of our key tourism businesses recently held a showpiece event in London to spread the word about our rich culture and heritage to Chinese tour operators, and the new Beijing flights again underline how well connected and accessible the north of England is to this vital international visitor market.”
Students, their families and universities as a whole are set to benefit as well in the North West with the route offering direct access home in the holidays, plus much quicker flights for friends and family visiting from China will be welcomed.
Universities across the North West have large student Chinese populations; direct flights will link the two locations, improving education opportunities between the two.
Ken O’Toole, CEO of Manchester Airport, said:
“We know how important direct access to key markets like China is to stimulating trade and tourism for regions across the North.
“The North West has a strong business base covering a diverse range of sectors, with many companies already trading in the Far East, and so the existence of a non-stop route to Beijing will be of significant benefit.
“In addition, the service will hopefully encourage more businesses to start exporting their goods and services to this key market for the first time, while also being key to unlocking inward investment opportunities.
“Finally, the route will be of huge benefit to the tens of thousands of Chinese students, as well as their families back home, and will also deliver a major boost to the region’s visitor economy.
“The launch of the Hainan service is the perfect illustration of how, by working with businesses and other organisations, we can deliver the global connectivity they need.
“I look forward to meeting some of these organisations in June when the route starts and hope to continue meeting their travel needs as we further develop our route network.”
The four-weekly service will make Manchester the only airport outside of London with a direct year-round scheduled service to Mainland China and will be served by an Airbus A330-300. The cabin will have 32 business class seats and 260 in economy.