China Eastern Air Group Yunnan Corp. will launch regular flights between Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, and Siemreab of Cambodia and Osaka in Japan in December this year.

Regular flights, slated for Tuesdays and Fridays, between Kunming and Siemreab will be available from Dec. 19.

Passenger planes depart Kunming at 9:20 a.m. (Beijing Time) and arrive in Siemreab at 11:25 a.m. (Beijing time) the same day. Passenger planes depart Siemreab at 12:25 (Beijing time) and arrives in Kunming at 14:30 (Beijing time) the same day.

Travelers between Kunming and Osaka will have more options starting Dec. 23, when regular flights will be available on Tuesdays and Fridays between the two cities.

Passengers planes depart Kunming at 9:20 a.m. (Beijing time) and arrive in Osaka at 1:10 p.m. (Beijing time) the same day. Passenger planes depart Osaka at 2:10 p.m. (Beijing time) and arrive in Kunming at 7:05 p.m. (Beijing time) the same day.

Insiders predicted the new flights would be popular with travelers.

Japan is the largest foreign tourist source country for Yunnan, which hosted 121,617 Japanese travelers in 2001. Japanese tourists account for more than 10 percent of all visitors from overseas to this southwest China province.

Insiders also noted that Cambodia, which boasts rich, unique ancient relics sites such as the Angkor Wat, is one of the South Asian countries which boast greatest potential for tourism.

The China Eastern Air Group Yunnan Corp. now operates 88 domestic and international air routes.

(People's Daily November 27, 2003)