Dublin Airport has welcomed the launch of Hainan Airlines’ new year-round non-stop service to Shenzhen. The airline will operate two flights per week between Dublin and Shenzhen in south-eastern China. Shenzhen will be Dublin Airport’s second destination in mainland China, as Hainan already operates a Dublin-Beijing service.
Above, are Ryan Zhang, Hainan Airlines’ General Manager Ireland;H.E. Dr Yue Xianoyong, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland; and Vincent Harrison, Managing Director, Dublin Airport, at the launch of Hainan Airlines’ new non-stop route from Dublin to Shenzhen.
“We are delighted that Hainan is expanding its network from Dublin by adding this second destination in China,” said Vincent Harrison. “Shenzhen is a really exciting destination for both business and leisure travel. The new route will further increase trade, tourism and investment between Ireland and China and expand the growing number of Chinese visitors to Ireland.”
Ryan Zhang, General Manager Ireland, Hainan Airlines, said: “We are delighted to launch this second direct route between Dublin and China. We are proud that Hainan Airlines is playing a central role in forging greater friendship and co-operation between our two countries. We look forward to welcoming many Irish and Chinese guests onboard our 5-star Skytrax service.”
Hainan is operating its twice weekly route to Shenzhen on Mondays and Fridays with a Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner with 289 seats.
Hainan entered the Irish market last June when it launched a service to Beijing via Edinburgh. On alternate days the service either operates non-stop between Dublin and Beijing or has a stopover in Edinburgh.
Known as China’s tech hub, Shenzhen has been one of the world’s fastest-growing cities in recent decades and has a population of about 13 million. The city is a 30-40-minute bullet train ride away from both Hong Kong and Guangzhou and was ranked second in Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Cities to visit in 2019.
Tourism Ireland will partner with Hainan Airlines this spring to highlight the island of Ireland and drive demand for the new service. Activity will include Ireland ads running on popular social platforms, as well as on the Hainan Airlines website, around St Patrick’s Day.
James Kenny, Tourism Ireland’s Manager China, said: “The new Hainan Airlines service from Shenzhen to Dublin is really good news for Irish tourism in 2019, as we continue the roll-out of our market diversification strategy. As an island destination, we know the importance of direct, non-stop flights cannot be overstated; there is a proven correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers, so this new flight will be an important factor in growing visitor numbers from China. We look forward to working closely with Hainan Airlines, Dublin Airport Authority and other tourism interests to maximise the promotion of this new service to Dublin.
“China is an important emerging travel market and one that Tourism Ireland is committed to growing over the coming years. A key message for Tourism Ireland in China is the British-Irish Visa Scheme, which enables Chinese travellers to visit both Ireland and the UK on a single visa of either country. In May, Tourism Ireland will undertake our 2019 sales mission to China – when we will meet with top Chinese travel agents and tour operators in the key cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou.”
Lonely Planet described Shenzhen as “China’s most innovative city” with “a strumming indie-music scene, cool cafes, a small contingent of craft brewers and a whole new arts district risen from the remains of former warehouses”.
Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines has a significant domestic route network at Shenzhen and also operates flights from the city to international destinations such as Brisbane, Brussels, Madrid, Oakland, Osaka, Tel Aviv, Vancouver and Zurich.
Hainan was established in 1993 in Hainan Province, which is the largest special economic zone in China. Since then, Hainan Airlines has established bases in 12 Chinese cities including Beijing, Xi’an, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dalian, and Chongqing.
Hainan Airlines and its subsidiaries have more than 400 aircraft operating 1,700 domestic and international routes to more than 220 cities worldwide. Its route network comprises destinations in China and elsewhere in Asia and extends to Europe, North America and the South Pacific.
