Italian
The third intercontinental hub in Italy shortens distances with the East: 20% savings on travel times and new opportunities for businesses, tourism, and the local community.
A monumental “water salute” from the Fire Brigade welcomed the arrival of the Airbus 330-220 from Air China on the runway of Marco Polo Airport in Venice, which landed at 7:15 PM with 200 passengers on board directly from Beijing.
This inaugural flight marks the achievement of a historic milestone for the SAVE Group and for the entire North East, consolidating the Venetian airport in its role as the third national intercontinental airport. The new non-stop route offers travelers a time saving of about 20% compared to previous connecting options.
Welcoming the Chinese delegation led by Wu Feng (General Director of Air China Europe) and Li Duo (General Director of Milan) were the leaders of the SAVE Group, including President Enrico Marchi, CEO Monica Scarpa and Aviation Development Director Camillo Bozzolo, along with the Mayor of Venice Simone Venturini. Representing the Chinese diplomatic authorities were the Consul General in Milan Zhang Chenggang, the Economic and Commercial Minister Counselor of the Embassy Luo Jin and the President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Italy Cheng Xuan.
The excitement on the track was palpable for a connection that represents the realization of intense work carried out jointly by the involved parties, with the essential support of the Italian and Chinese governments.
“It is a great emotion to welcome the first flight from Beijing by Air China to Venice,” commented the President of SAVE, Enrico Marchi. “The connection with the Chinese capital brings with it the added value of a network of onward flights that from the major hub allow reaching destinations throughout the Far East. For Venice, for Veneto, and for our country, it means further strengthening, through a second direct flight between Marco Polo and China, a bond that traces back to historical relations and today translates into new opportunities for cultural and economic exchanges”. Marchi then emphasized how crucial the support of the Italian Government has been, particularly from the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, as well as from the Italian Embassy in China and the Chinese Authorities.
A shared enthusiasm fully expressed by the Mayor of Venice, Simone Venturini, who defined the route as “long awaited by our economic and productive system, as it opens new opportunities for businesses, tourism, culture, and international relations. This flight also has a strong symbolic value: Venice and China are geographically distant realities, but deeply connected by the history of exchanges, travels, and the great routes to the East. It is a bond that naturally evokes the figure of Marco Polo. Today that thread is renewed looking to the future. Shortening distances means making relationships between businesses easier, encouraging new investments, and creating further opportunities for collaboration. Venice thus confirms its natural vocation as the international gateway of the Northeast.”
A driving force for the economy, luxury tourism, and the local community
The new direct link will act as a powerful strategic accelerator, stimulating three key segments of the market.
Firstly, the route represents a decisive boost for the business and cargo sectors. The productive fabric of the North East accounts for 13% of the overall trade flows between Italy and China, generating an annual turnover nearing 10 billion euros (Istat data) – a value surpassed in our country only by the Milan area.
On this aspect, the President of the Veneto Region Alberto Stefani has sent his institutional comment, highlighting how this flight represents “a valuable opportunity for Venetian companies, facilitating economic and commercial exchanges, with more efficient mobility for entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and professionals. The connection crowns an ancient bond made of relationships, exchanges, and dialogue between East and West, between the Serenissima and China. The name of Marco Polo continues to be one of the most recognizable symbols of this extraordinary bond, and it is natural that the main airport of Veneto bears his name. Today, that ideal bridge translates into a direct air connection”.
On the front of tourism, the flight intercepts a rapidly growing demand with high spending capacity. The North East has always been one of the favorite destinations for travelers from China, attracted by the charm of Venice and Verona and the beauty of the Dolomites. This is a very high-quality tourism: over 70% of Chinese visitors choose to stay in luxury accommodations.
Finally, the connection responds to a deep social need related to the flows of family reunification (VFR). With about 70,000 residents, the Chinese community settled in the North East is the second largest in Italy after the Lombardy one. The new air route will make travel for visits to relatives and friends much smoother, shortening the times for direct flows not only to the capital Beijing but also to key areas of migration origin such as Wenzhou (in Zhejiang province) and Xiamen (in Fujian province).
Tickets for the new route are already available for purchase on the official website of Air China as well as through all online and traditional sales channels.
The Air China network and the centrality of Italy
Satisfaction also from Wu Feng, General Manager of Air China Europe, who contextualized the event within a global strategy and on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the company’s connections with Italy: “The new direct flight Beijing–Venice represents an important milestone for aviation cooperation between the two countries. Air China officially extends its presence in Italy to three strategic hubs: Milan, Rome, and Venice; Italy thus becomes one of the European countries with the highest number of cities served by the airline. We will continue to seize this opportunity to optimize our international connection network and constantly improve service quality, consolidating our role as an air bridge”.
Founded in 1988 and already an official partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Chinese flag carrier boasts a global fleet of 964 aircraft (including subsidiaries). Thanks to its integration into the global network of Star Alliance, it allows access to over 1,100 destinations in 190 countries, handling more than 150 million passengers annually.
