Flights from Manchester Airport to mainland China will return to pre-pandemic levels from next month in what has been described as a 'significant' economic boost for the city region, it was confirmed today.
Hainan Airlines is now flying four flights per week between Manchester and Beijing - an increase from one per week and a return to the pre-Covid schedule.
The airline started flights from Manchester Airport in 2016, with bosses saying the route helped to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds in trade, investment and tourism benefits.
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The airport said pre-pandemic, around 100,000 people a year travelled between Manchester and Beijing from the its catchment area. Studies, added bosses, showed the route led to a 38 per cent increase in Chinese visitors to the North, with an average spend per visit increasing by 94 per cent and export values growing by 41 per cent to £1.29bn.
Covid-related travel restrictions, however, meant the service was paused, until a single weekly flight resumed in August 2022. The airport said Hainan flights will operate from Manchester to Beijing every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, all by the Airbus A330 aircraft, from April.
Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said: "The economic benefits of more regular flights between Manchester and Beijing will be significant, whether that be in terms of trade, tourism or inward investment. But the positive impacts go beyond that; Manchester’s Chinese community is part of the fabric of the city, and this increase in frequency will make it much easier for people to travel in both directions to visit friends and family.
"As the final international travel restrictions have been removed, it has been hugely exciting to see services like this return to full strength, underlining Manchester Airport’s role as the UK’s global gateway in the North. I look forward to working with Hainan Airlines to make this service as successful as possible."
Manchester is home to one of the country’s biggest and most well-established Chinese communities.
Manchester's Chinatown was first established more than 100 years ago and the city's first Chinese restaurant – the Ping Hong in Mosley Street – opened in 1948. According to the 2011 Census more than 13,500 Chinese residents live in Manchester, more than any city in the UK outside London.
The news has been welcomed by the Chinese community and civic leaders from across the city region.
Rhys Whalley, Chief Executive of the Manchester China Forum said: "We're delighted to see Hainan Airlines confirming its plans to return to pre-pandemic frequencies with four flights per week between Manchester and Beijing. With Covid restrictions only having been lifted two months ago, this signals a remarkable recovery to a critically important long-haul route connecting the north of England into the capital of the world's key growth economy.
"In its first two years of operation, the Manchester-Beijing route stimulated a 40 per cent increase in export values as well as visitor numbers to the region. With International Monetary Fund estimates suggesting that China will represent a third of global growth in 2023 and its outbound tourism market expected to exceed US$163 billion by 2024, direct links will undoubtedly underpin the region’s ambitions to stimulate growth through enhanced connectivity with this key global consumer market."
Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said its analysis found inward investment into the north from Asia has grown significantly in recent years. "Now that regular flights have resumed, we hope this upward trend can continue," he said.
Tourism bosses from Cheshire to Cumbria also welcomed the news.
Sheona Southern, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said: "China is a key global market for Greater Manchester, and it is welcome news that Hainan Airlines will increase its direct flight frequency from Beijing to Manchester Airport with four flights per week.
"This increased route capacity will be hugely beneficial to Greater Manchester’s visitor economy, with pre-Covid spend generating a £260m boost to the local economy, and a wealth of other benefits such as increased opportunities for trade and tourism, offering a positive impact on accommodation bookings, retail, restaurants and attractions throughout the region, alongside an increase in Chinese visitors choosing Greater Manchester as a place to visit, live, work, study and invest."
Adrian Ellis, General Manager at The Lowry Hotel and Chair of Manchester Hoteliers Association, added: "The increase of this direct route from Manchester Airport to Beijing to pre-pandemic levels will be well received by many hotels and tourist attractions across Greater Manchester and beyond.
"At The Lowry Hotel we saw a noticeable increase in visitors from China when the route started several years ago, and we cannot wait to welcome even more visitors."
John Cooper, partner at Deloitte and board member of the Manchester China Forum, said: "International connectivity is essential in supporting the continued growth of the city of Manchester and wider region, bringing with it both trade and tourism opportunities.
"As the world continues to open up post-pandemic, increased access to the global market remains a priority for the region, helping to spread economic prosperity and support the levelling-up of the North West."
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