Indonesia: A direct flight from China landed in Indonesia's Bali on Sunday for the first time in nearly three years after the route was suspended due to the pandemic.

At least 210 passengers were on board the chartered plane flown by Indonesia's Lion Air from Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong province.

Chinese travelers arriving at Bali's airport expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to travel abroad once again as China lifted its tough COVID-19 restrictions. An Pei, a Chinese tourist aboard the flight, said, "I am satisfied and at ease. We haven't traveled abroad for a while."

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The flight took place after the Chinese government decided to lift its travel restrictions, which was announced on 8 January, and began on Sunday, the first day of the Lunar New Year.

The Shenzhen-to-Bali route will operate once per week during its initial phase, according to a statement by Lion Air spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro.

In 2023, Indonesia is expected to welcome 255,000 Chinese visitors. China made 94,924 visits to Indonesia between January and October of 2022. Before the pandemic, more than two million Chinese tourists visited Indonesia annually.

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The overall target for foreign tourist arrivals this year is expected to be supported by Chinese tourists who have returned. Indonesia expects to welcome between 3.5 million and 7.4 million tourists from overseas, according to a statement issued on Friday by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno. China is one of Indonesia's top destinations for international travelers.

According to statistics from Chinese online travel agencies, the number of searches for foreign tourist destinations has increased by 430%. According to Uno, Bali has seen a 250% increase in search volume, and Indonesia is among the top 5 searched countries.

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Indonesia's government is considering ways to entice more Chinese visitors, including the potential for direct flights from three major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.