Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important refusal of responsibility is located in the lower part of this article.
According to the report by the Sian newspaper South China Morning Post dated April 26, analysts note that thanks to the “Belt and Road” initiative, the powerful growth of passenger traffic, the expanding network of air routes and deepening economic ties, Central Asia, previously considered a niche direction, is rapidly transforming into a significant market for Chinese travelers.
Major Patel, head of the Asia-Pacific department of the British aviation consulting company OAG, stated that the data shows a 59.3% growth in passenger air traffic between China and Central Asian countries in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Subramanya Bhat, general director of the Singapore marketing company China Trading Desk, said: “In addition to tourism, these routes are also supported by business trips, trade relations, government exchanges, educational cooperation, and visits to relatives, which makes the demand for them more stable.”
Traditionally, Central Asia has not been among the priority destinations for Chinese tourists. From the perspective of tourism, for a long time preference was given to Southeast and East Asia. At the same time, business trips to the Central Asia region were quite limited.
Major Patel stated: “China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative has revived interest in Central Asia, stimulating the development of infrastructure, trade, and connectivity throughout the entire region. These structural investments have created a sustainable demand for business trips, which practically did not exist ten years ago.”
It is reported that destinations such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan attract travelers from all over the world who are interested in gaining unique cultural experiences, and offer Chinese tourists more accessible options and a simplified visa regime. China has signed agreements on mutually visa-free regimes with both countries.
The newspaper reports that in order to meet the growing demand, airlines are opening new routes connecting China and Central Asia. The latest significant event is that Kazakhstan’s national carrier AirAstana announced the launch of the Shan-Hai-Almaty air route, thanks to which the number of flights between the two countries has increased to 32 per week.
Ibragim Zhanliyev, CEO of AirAstana, stated that, taking into account the expected growth of business trips, tourism, and flows of foreign students, the airline plans to launch flights in June from the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, to Guangzhou, and in the summer of this year to increase the number of flights from Almaty and Astana to Beijing, as well as from Almaty to Urumqi.
At the end of March this year, the Chinese airlines China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines also launched flights from Guangzhou to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and from Shanya to Tashkent (Uzbekistan), respectively.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of information. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims, and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.