Earlier this month, one of the world's biggest markets - China - finally reopened to the rest of the world. Airlines saw bookings for flights to and from China surging, and countries were preparing to welcome back Chinese passengers, as they would be arriving for the first time in almost three years. Indonesia's resort island of Bali is the latest to welcome back its first flight from China.
Flying from Shenzhen to Bali
Before the route was suspended in 2023 due to the pandemic, low-cost carrier Lion Air's flights between Shenzhen and Bali were one of its most profitable services. So, when China reopened, the low-cost carrier quickly announced the route's reinstatement, clearly understanding the advantages that nearly three years of pent-up demand would bring to Indonesia's tourism industry.
The resumed service flew on January 22nd as Lion Air flew a Boeing 737-900ER with at least 210 passengers onboard from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport. The flight included 193 adults, 17 children, and two infants. It also marked the first non-stop flight from China to Indonesia in almost three years.
Given the restrictions on international travel for so long, passengers onboard were thrilled to travel again, as highlighted by a Chinese passenger on the flight when recounting her excitement of finally being able to fly internationally to AP News:
"I feel very happy and relaxed. It's been a long time since we last went abroad."
Lion Air's Shenzhen-Bali route will initially be scheduled to operate once a week every Saturday, when JT 2649 departs from Bali at approximately 23:25 before arriving in Shenzhen at around 04:40 the following day. The return flight, JT 2648, operates every Sunday, taking off from Shenzhen at 05:50 and arriving home in Bali at around 11:05.
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Efforts to attract more Chinese tourists
Although the flights are currently scheduled for once a week, Lion Air is planning to upgrade its frequency soon in line with Indonesia's target of welcoming at least 255,000 tourists from China this year. The country is one of the largest markets for inbound tourism in Indonesia and, prior to the pandemic, more than two million tourists visited annually.
Unfortunately, such vital numbers have since dropped to below 96,000, but Indonesia is confident in attracting back the required demand, as emphasized by Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy:
"Based on only travel agencies' data in China, there has been an increase in search volumes for overseas tourist destinations by 430%. Indonesia is in the top 5 searches and Bali’s search volume has increased by 250%."
The return of Chinese tourists is also considered to support the overall target of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia this year, which is targeted for between 3.5 and 7.4 million. As the tourist traffic gradually improves, Indonesian carriers could soon draw up route launches as the government has been brainstorming ways to attract more Chinese tourists. This could include direct flights from Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
Source: AP News