REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- State-owned airline, PT Garuda Indonesia in Ngurah Rai International Airport officially opened inaugural flight from Denpasar to Shanghai, on Wednesday (13/1). This was the company's strategy to expand market to China after opening of Denpasar-Beijing route and Denpasar-Guangzhou route in 2015.

"China became focus of Garuda's development network international route," said Commercial Director of Garuda Indonesia, Handayani in Denpasar, Wednesday (13/1).

Tourist potential of the Bamboo Curtain country reached 100 million people per year. Handayani said that from January to August 2015, tourist arrivals from China to Indonesia increased by 25 percent over the previous year.

Garuda serves Denpasar-Shanghai route three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Type of aircraft used is A330-300 transport capacity of 360 passengers in economy class.

Flight GA-858 departs from Denpasar at 04:15 pm and arrives in Shanghai at 11:30 pm local time. While, GA-859 departs from Shanghai at 01:00 am local time and arrives in Denpasar at 08:35 am.

Handayani expected, international routes could support economic growth of national tourism. Currently, the largest airline in Indonesia has been serving 26 flights to China when combined with Jakarta.

Bali is one of the important place for Garuda. From Bali, tourists could access other important destinations, such as Lombok, Makassar, Manado, Batam, Labuan Bajo, and Yogyakarta.

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