Air China, the national flag carrier of China, has officially commenced operations in the Georgian airline market, according to a statement from the United Airports of Georgia.

The airline successfully completed its inaugural flight from Urumqi to Tbilisi International Airport, located in Georgia’s capital, late last night. The flight was operated using a Boeing 737-800, carrying 98 passengers. In the return flight, 121 travelers departed Tbilisi for China, as reported by the United Airports.

To mark the occasion, a special reception was hosted by TAV Georgia, the company responsible for managing Tbilisi International Airport, for the first passengers and airline representatives.

This development comes in the wake of the recent implementation of visa-free travel between Georgia and China, a policy change that, according to the United Airports, has generated increased interest from Chinese airlines in expanding their routes to Georgia.

Vako Chilashvili, Head of the Commercial Department at the United Airports of Georgia, noted that Air China, one of China’s largest airlines, would operate flights between Urumqi and Tbilisi three times a week, with the possibility of increasing the frequency based on demand.

The United Airports also highlighted that between January and September, approximately 66,485 Chinese tourists had traveled to Georgia.