SriLankan Airlines' global route network will expand to fifty destinations shortly, with the planned launch of new services to Guangzhou (Canton) in China.
The announcement of new services comes on the heels of the Airline having launched a four-times-a-week service to Shanghai last July. They signal a new phase of expansion at SriLankan, following several years of consolidation of its route network during the global economic crisis. The new service is to be launched by early 2011.
Mohamed Fazeel, SriLankan's Head of Worldwide Sales, said: "Sri Lanka is rapidly becoming a travel hub in the South Asian region, with massive development in infrastructure and tourism following the dawn of peace a year ago. China is fast gaining a reputation as the world's most important travel market, both inbound and outbound, and we are confident of its enormous potential. We are also strongly considering several other new destinations in India, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe."
While details of the Guangzhou service are being finalized, the Airline is likely to commence operations with three flights per week on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Tourism is booming in the Indian Ocean island nation, with a sustained growth rate of 50% over the past 14 months, as travellers rediscover the charms of its golden beaches, mist-swathed mountains, ancient cultural attractions, luxurious resorts, and bargain shopping.
With its hub in Colombo at the southern tip of India, SriLankan also provides rapid and convenient connections between North America, Europe and the Middle East to the west, and South Asia and the Far East on the other side.
Guangzhou is the third largest city in China and the capital of Guangdong Province. It is a key transportation hub and trading port, and has a population of more than 10 million people. It would be the fourth Chinese city to be served by SriLankan, which currently has three weekly flights to Beijing, three to Hong Kong, plus its service to Shanghai.
The Airline is currently expanding both its fleet medium-range and long-haul fleets, with five new Airbus A320's on order for 2011. It took delivery of a long-haul Airbus A330 in July, with possibly another long-haul wide-body to be acquired soon.
SriLankan currently has a global route network of 49 destinations in 31 countries.
