eTN Asia, 31-10-2006
The Chinese government is to build an international airport in Dunhuang, located in northeast China’s Gansu province, to accommodate the increasing number of overseas tourists.province has grown by 30 percent annually.
Official figures from the local tourist administration office revealed that a total of 71,000
The number of overseas visitors coming to see the ancient Buddhist cave paintings in the international tourists have passed through the airport up to September this year. In 2006, a total of 78,000 international tourists passed through the airport.
More than 60 percent of the international tourists are from Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, where Buddhism is a major religion.
Dunhuang airport, opened in 1982 and expanded in 2002, can currently handle 300,000 passengers.
Hainan Airlines group president Chen Fang, whose airline is based in the southernmost island of Hainan, indicated his support for the expansion project, and interest to further tap into Dunhuang's potential as a tourist destination, especially during the slack winter and early spring seasons.
