TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The low-cost airline Indonesia AirAsia is opening a direct flight route to Hong Kong from Bali and Jakarta.

Indonesia AirAsia CEO Veranita Yosephine Sinaga said the route is intended to expand the airline’s connectivity to other countries in Asia.

Indonesia AirAsia, said Veranita, continues to take strategic steps in connecting passengers to their favorite destinations through comfortable and affordable direct flights.

"With the opening of the Bali-Hong Kong and Jakarta-Hong Kong routes, Indonesia AirAsia is further strengthening its position as an airline with wide connectivity, which not only covers countries in ASEAN and Australia but also mainland China," she said on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.

"With these new routes, Indonesia AirAsia hopes to support the growth of tourism and the economy between countries,"

Based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), from January to June 2024, foreign tourist visits from Hong Kong amounted to 13,673, nearly 98.5 percent of total visits in 2023 with 13,885 people.

Meanwhile, according to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), tourists from Indonesia visiting Hong Kong in 2023 increased by 3,276.87 percent, with 252,432 tourists compared to 2022’s 7,480 tourists.

"So, hopefully, the number of foreign visits to both countries will rise with the addition of Indonesia AirAsia’s direct flights from Jakarta and Bali to Hong Kong," said Veranita.

The ticket reservations for both flight routes are available starting today, August 6, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Bali-Hong Kong route will run once a day starting October 1, 2024, and the Jakarta-Hong Kong route will operate starting October 8, 2024, with the same frequency.

JONIANSYAH

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