Minister of Economy views direct flight between Tbilisi and Shanghai as step forward, bringing Georgia and China closer, demonstrating significance of strategic partnership

“I am convinced that with joint efforts, we will witness more flights from more routes to our country,” said Mariam Kvrivishvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, at the Tbilisi International Airport, where the inaugural flight from Shanghai to Tbilisi was implemented today.

According to Mariam Kvrivishvili, July 15 is a significant date in the Georgian aviation industry.

“Many years of joint effort have, I would say, yielded fruitful and tangible results. First of all, this is a significant step forward, which will bring Georgia and China closer. This is the decision which reinforces the Georgia-China strategic partnership. This is another important demonstration of what strategic partnership means and how strategic partnership is translated into economic activity, tourism and direct flights, and how all this strengthens our country’s economy,” she said.

Mariam Kvrivishvili emphasized that the plane arrived with a 95 percent occupancy rate, which is a success of the air company, its management, ruling team and Georgia.

She attributed the triumph to the successful marketing campaigns, which the Georgian government and the National Tourism Administration are implementing. She expressed hope that through close cooperation with partner air companies, the frequency of flights would increase in the future.

“We will continue to be reliable partners. We will continue to be a country where the economy and the tourism industry steadily grow, developments that will ensure an increase in the number of flights and the number of tourists visiting our country,” she stated.

The Minister believes that direct flights will contribute to the deepening of people-to-people relations.

“From today, many Georgian citizens will have the opportunity to travel to your beautiful country having the richest culture and history. Therefore, I would like to thank each of you and extend my special gratitude to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China, who has contributed much to linking the two countries. Today is a symbolic day since, through your effort and support, we celebrate this important day together.

I am convinced that we are writing a new history alongside China Eastern Airlines, and I am convinced that through joint efforts we will see more flights from more routes in the direction of our country,” she concluded.