BIRMINGHAM Airport is to become the country’s first gateway to offer UK charter package tours from China and the first UK airport outside London to launch direct charter flights to China. This follows a joint initiative between Birmingham Airport, China Southern Airlines, Caissa Travel Management Co Ltd and Birmingham China specialist agency, United Travel.

Culture, media and sport minister Maria Miller said: “This is great news for Birmingham and Britain. China is a vital trade and tourism partner for us and opening up this new route will encourage even more Chinese visitors to fly to our country and experience more of what our great nation has to offer outside of the capital - from tourist attractions to shopping, culture to heritage. The new route will provide great investment and job opportunities for businesses in the Midlands.”

It is now possible to fly direct between Birmingham and Beijing thanks to a £40 million investment by Birmingham Airport to extend the runway, which will open in April.