(HERALD) Chinese businesspeople hail Airzim’s return
Chinese businesspeople hail Airzim’s returnBy Isdore Guvamombe KUNMING, China
TOP Chinese tourist wholesalers and businessmen have welcomed the resumption of Air Zimbabwe’s direct flight to Guangzhou, after five weeks of suspension when one of its Boeing 767 long-haul planes was going through C-check maintenance.
The flight to Guangzhou resumed last Monday.
One of the leading agents, Guangzhou International Travel Service Ltd, said although the suspension of the direct flight was a setback to the business community, the fact that Airzim regularly serviced its planes on schedule gives confidence about the safety of their planes to travellers.
The agent’s assistant manager, Ms Sisi Lei, said in the absence of the Airzim direct service, they had no choice but to consider other longer routes such as going via South Africa and Kenya.
"As one of the top tourist sellers in China, we welcome the return of Air Zimbabwe because for the five weeks it had suspended flights, we had to find other links for our travellers, yet the direct flight is the most convenient.
"Now that it’s back, we have to work towards putting together tourist groups for the Chinese New Year holiday in January.
"The service gives the market more confidence that Air Zimbabwe is safer now that they have serviced their plane,’’ she said.
China International Travel Services international department manager Helena Zhang Xuejuan said there had been fears that Airzim would pull out of the route, causing anxiety in the business community.
"It is a welcome development because both tourism and trade business with Zimbabwe are growing everyday.
"Air Zimbabwe is bringing business to Guangzhou and when they temporarily suspended the flight, there was a fall in the number of Zimbabwean buyers coming here. At the same time Chinese people travelling to Zimbabwe had to go via Beijing, which is too expensive."
Guangzhou is China’s industrial hub and has proved to be the vital cog in the brisk trade between Zimbabwe and China.
The suspension of the direct flight to Guangzhou also compelled Zimbabweans to connect via Beijing, South Africa and Kenya, consuming both more time and money.
The connection also inconvenienced traders carrying goods, in terms of transit arrangements.
Airzim Regional Manager for Asia Mr Chris Kwenda stressed that the airline kept in touch with the market during the temporary suspension, assuring them that the airline was committed to developing and growing the Southern China market.
He was now vigorously promoting the route, taking advantage of the new opportunities created by the increase in frequencies and capacity to destinations beyond Harare as a result of partnerships with regional airlines such as TAG of Angola.
"Air Zimbabwe may be small compared to some regional airlines in Africa, but through innovation and creativity, we are able to compete with the best. Our promotional effort next week is taking us to Dong Guan City, in Dong province where a workshop is lined up as part of the ZTA roadshow programme," he said.
Labels: AIR ZIMBABWE, CHINA
posted by MrK @ 9:58 PM
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