A new direct air route linking Guangzhou, the capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, with Turkey’s Istanbul, was launched on Friday.

The inaugural flight, CZ8065, departed Guangzhou at approximately 0:30 am, carrying 259 passengers.

Operated by China Southern Airlines, the new air service utilizes a Boeing aircraft, with flights scheduled three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The journey from Guangzhou to Istanbul takes about 11 hours, and the return trip about 10 hours.

China Southern Airlines expects more international air routes to be launched or resumed in the near future.

China is witnessing a faster-than-expected resurgence of inbound tourism this year. The country will expand its visa-free transit policy to include more countries and increase inbound flights from major passenger-source countries to optimize its entry and exit measures, according to a circular unveiled on Monday by China’s top economic planner.