(Yicai) June 20 -- Flight bookings from China to the five Central Asian countries surged nearly 80 percent in the first half of this year, driven by an expanding network of air routes and deepening economic and trade cooperation.

Air bookings to Central Asia jumped 78 percent year-on-year, according to online travel agency Qunar. Ticket sales to Tajikistan rose 70 percent, travel to Kyrgyzstan more than doubled, bookings to Kazakhstan climbed 85 percent, and reservations to Uzbekistan increased 62 percent.

Part of the uptick in travel to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan may be attributed to their visa-free access for Chinese tourists, unlike Tajikistan, which still requires a visa. Tajikistan is a landlocked country bordered by Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, known for its mountainous landscapes and ancient Silk Road sites.

China continues to expand its connectivity with Central Asia. Last month, Shanghai launched its first direct passenger route to Central Asia with a new Shanghai–Shymkent service operated by Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines. China Eastern Airlines plans to open a new Shanghai–Almaty route in July. In addition, China Southern Airlines will begin flights from Guangzhou to Almaty and to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

Tajikistan in Focus

Tajikistan, home to 10.5 million people, is intensifying its trade and economic ties with China, creating a stronger demand for air connectivity.

"Almost every factory here hosts Chinese visitors to discuss business cooperation," said Zhang Hao, a Tajik national who studied in China. “Some are selling equipment, others are helping build factories -- so the need for translators has increased significantly.” While studying at Fujian Normal University in Fuzhou, Zhang returned to Tajikistan during school breaks to work as a translator. He could earn as much as USD600 for half a day’s work.

According to Zhang, people in Tajikistan can study Chinese at local Confucius Institutes. After passing the HSK Level 3 Chinese proficiency exam, they may be recommended for further studies at universities in China. This is how Zhang qualified for a full scholarship, which covered his tuition and accommodation, along with a monthly stipend of CNY3,000 (USD418).

Zhang's first trip to Fuzhou was complicated -- flying from Dushanbe to Urumqi in northwestern China, and then to Fuzhou, due to the lack of direct flights. Today, however, Zhang has more options. In 2022, China Southern Airlines resumed direct flights from Urumqi to Dushanbe. It later launched the Xi’an–Urumqi–Dushanbe route just before the first China–Central Asia Summit in May 2023. More recently, a direct flight from Beijing Daxing International Airport to Dushanbe was also introduced.

Currently, China Southern Airlines and Tajikistan’s Somon Air both operate flights between China and Tajikistan. According to aviation analytics platform DAST, the number of these flights has increased by 25 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, China still operates more frequent routes to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with the number of flights nearly doubling and quadrupling, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic levels.

A China Southern Airlines representative told Yicai that over the past two years, most passengers flying to Dushanbe have been industrial and commercial workers, including technicians from central state-owned enterprises and businesspeople seeking investment opportunities.

Editor: Emmi Laine