A new air route from Lijiang in Yunnan province to Ningbo in Zhejiang province, with a stop in Guilin, the well-known tourism city in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, will begin operation on Nov 1, chinanews.com reported.

An A319 aircraft will make a round trip, taking off from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport at 9:50 am, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The flight back to Lijiang will depart from Guilin at 16:50 pm. A one-way trip will take one hour and 40 minutes, and will cost about 1,550 yuan ($254.2) for a full-fare ticket.

The flight from Guilin to Ningbo departs at 12:05 pm, and the flight back from Ningbo to Guilin departs at 14:50 pm. This one-way trip will take two hours and a full-fare ticket will cost about 1,060 yuan($173.9).

Lijiang was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 1997, and well-known attractions include the Old Town of Lijiang, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lugu Lake.

In addition, the ancient music of the Naxi ethnic group is treasured as part of China's musical heritage, the Dongba hieroglyphics in Lijiang are also of great cultural significance, and the Mosuo people of Lijiang, who have preserved customs of a matriarchal society, attract many visitors.

The developed coastal city of Ningbo in east China has a large population and is expected to become a popular tourist destination.

The authorities hope that the new air route will promote the economies of Lijiang, Guilin and Ningbo, as well as tourism and cultural exchanges between the three cities.

Edited by Niva Whyman