“International Flower & Gardening Exposition”—A Driving Force for International Aviation Industry

In 2006, International Flower & Gardening Exposition will be held in Shenyang and the whole world will focus their eyes on Shenyang. In the year the exposition is held, millions of tourists from all countries in the world will swarm into Shenyang, which is a very rare development opportunity for international aviation industry. As International Flower & Gardening Exposition slowly releases its functions, cultural communications and economic exchanges between Shenyang and countries over the world will be carried out more frequently. The international aviation industry will continue making endless fortunes by taking advantage of the concept of International Flower & Gardening Exposition.

We cannot talk about international aviation industry without mentioning Korean Airlines and Korean-Asian Airlines. For years South Korea has been the greatest source country of tourists for Shenyang. In the past year of 2004, more than 120,000 people visited Shenyang. The two airlines play an important role in the passenger transportation business between South Korean and Shenyang. The other day when the reporter was interviewing Jin Tingji, direction of Shenyang branch of Korean Airlines and Jin Rongde, director of Shenyang branch of Korean-Asian Airlines, they both expressed the same wish: developing aviation business by taking advantage of the east wind of International Flower & Gardening Exposition.

In 1994, Korean Airlines opened the routes between Shenyang and Seoul. This year is just the 10 th anniversary for opening the international airways between Shenyang and Seoul. After ten years the original three flights a week have developed into the present 11 flights per week. Since August 2004, Korean Airlines and China South Aviation have started to share codes on the airway from Shenyang to Seoul. Jin Tingji told the reporter that Korean Airlines Shenyang Branch had increased by 3.5 times from the original annual income of USD3.2 million in 1995 to USD 14 million in 2004 in passenger transportation business. Besides, cargo transportation business conducted by Korean Airlines Shenyang Branch had also increased by 14 times from USD 1 million in 1995 to USD 14 million in 2004. It has played an important role in economic development of Shenyang region. Jin Tingji said that in 2004 enterprises in Shenyang, for example, the export volume of TG Computer, LG Electronics, Xianjin Tailors, Northeast Pharmaceutical, Shenyang Aircraft Group, Dawning Group through Korean Airlines to South Korea, Japan, America, Oceania, Southeast Asia and Europe etc, has amounted to 310 tons, 120 tons, 2700 tons, 310 tons, 310 tons and 2230 tons respectively. Jin Tingji, director of Korean Airlines Shenyang Branch has worked for four years in Shenyang and experienced rapid changes in Shenyang in person. He said that trees turned green, water turned clean and the sky turned blue in Shenyang, a model city in terms of environmental protection that deserves its title. The three successful “Korean Weeks” in Shenyang makes Shenyang greatly well known. In 2006, International Flower & Gardening Exposition will be held in Shenyang. We believe that Shenyang will mount a new step and thus become an internationalized metropolitan. Jin Tingji said: “As one of the top ten world largest airlines, Korean Airlines is willing to contribute its share in bustling Shenyang's economy. During International Flower & Gardening Exposition, we will increase flights to set up a bridge in the air for communications between Shenyang and the world.”

Korean-Asian Airlines is the second largest airline company in South Korea. Established in 1998, Korean-Asian Airlines opened the flight routes from Shenyang to Pusan in 2002. Currently, it has 18 flight routes in 16 cities in China, an airline company with the most extensive flight routes between China and South Korea. As Shenyang furthers its exchanges with South Korea increasingly, Korean-Asian Airlines set up a rep office in Shenyang in April 2004, which has brought conveniences to tourists traveling between Shenyang and Pusan. Jin Rongde, director of Korean-Asian Airlines Shenyang Branch, said that in 2006 during the International Flower & Gardening Exposition, large numbers of tourists will come from South Korean to visit Shenyang. And the company will open the routes between Shenyang and Seoul besides current flight routes by then. He said: “We are very excited that International Flower & Gardening Exposition will bring new development opportunities to international aviation industry. And we also hope that Shenyang can increase its cultural status in preparing for the International Flower & Gardening Exposition at the same time.”

According to estimations, in 2006 when International Flower & Gardening Exposition is held, an unprecedented tourist peak will come to Shenyang with the number of total tourists arriving and departing the airport exceeding 10 million.