Riyadh: King Khalid International Airport, managed and operated by Riyadh Airports Company (RAC), announced the inauguration of a new air route connecting Riyadh to the Chinese capital, Beijing.

The route will be serviced by three weekly flights operated by Air China, starting May 6.

 The RAC indicated that the new inauguration reflects the company's commitment to enhancing direct air connectivity between the Kingdom and China.

 The initiative stems from the company’s keenness to enable more Chinese tourists to visit the Kingdom, aiming to explore additional tourist destinations and discover existing investment opportunities, the RAC noted.

 The effort is part of the company's contribution to achieving the targets of Saudi Vision 2030.

 The company also highlighted that the collaboration with Air China is a result of a series of pioneering achievements by RAC, including obtaining the "Welcome Chinese" certification for King Khalid International Airport last July. The certification contributed to enhancing the success prospects of the cooperation between the two parties, the company said.

 The RAC stated that the inauguration contributes to achieving the future targets of the National Civil Aviation Strategy, aiming to increase air connectivity to more than 250 destinations across 29 airports.

 It also includes developing airport infrastructure and operational processes, enhancing competitiveness by enabling fair competition and competitive pricing globally, and establishing regulatory frameworks for operational processes at both international and local levels.