Shanghai International Airport Co recently launched a flight route to meet tourists' needs, initiating a 12-day cross-border travel tour encompassing the cities of Shanghai, Kathmandu and Shigatse of the Xizang autonomous region.

On Saturday, the tourist flight embarked on its maiden voyage from Terminal 2 of Shanghai's Pudong Airport, carrying over 100 passengers hailing from Shanghai.

As the most distinctive cross-border long-haul travel product between China and Nepal on the current market, tourists will take a chartered flight from the Shanghai Pudong Airport directly to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, and then enter China via the Gyirong Port in the city of Shigatse in Xizang by vehicle.

With guided tour services and medical assistance provided throughout the journey, the itinerary covers natural and cultural landscapes along the China-Nepal border, including Chitwan, Bandipur, Pokhara of Nepal, and the counties and district of Gyirong, Dingri, Saga, Sakya, Gyalze and Samdrubtse in Xizang. The charter flights are planned to operate one to two flights per month based on the climate conditions along the China-Nepal border.

In 2023, the number of tourists in Shigatse exceeded 10 million for the first time. Tourism revenue surpassed 5.8 billion yuan ($802 million), and the growth rate of the tourism industry ranked first in Xizang, reaching a historic high.