A new direct flight is to be launched on July 7 to connect Taipei and Taiyuan, capital city of North China’s Shanxi province, to meet the growing demand of travelers.

Flight BR725, operated by Taiwan Eva Airways, is scheduled to take off from Taiyuan at 2:45 pm every Monday and Thursday and arrive in Taipei at 6:05 pm. The return flight BR726 leaves Taipei at 9:45 am and arrives in Taiyuan at 1:05 pm the same day.

The new flight will promote tourism between the two cities. According to statistics, 75,000 people traveled from Taiyuan to Taiwan in 2013, up from 10,000 in 2010, and is expected to surpass 100,000 this year.

Tourist spots in Shanxi, such as Yungang Grottoes, Hanging Temple, Pingyao Ancient City, Mountain of Wutai, also attract many tourists from Taiwan every year.

After Far Eastern Air Transport and China Eastern Airlines opened flights between Taiyuan and Taipei, Eva Airways is offering free return flights to the mainland cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Jinan, Shenyang, Harbin, Zhengzhou and Hohhot from Taiwan on Eva or its subsidiary Uni Air, with air tickets from Taiyuan.