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CHINA’S northwestern Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region will soon open its first highland airport after a plane successfully landed at the airport on Friday (1/28) afternoon.
Standing at an altitude of more than 1,700 meters above sea level, Tianma Zhaosu Airport is located in the Zhaosu region of the Ili Kazak Ethnic Autonomous Prefecture. With an investment of 640 million yuan (1 yuan = IDR2,259), construction of the 170-hectare airport began in September 2019.
The passenger capacity of the domestic civilian regional airport is designed to reach 200,000 people, while cargo and postal capacity will reach 600-tonnes by 2025, according to the airport.
“The opening of Tianma Zhaosu Airport will greatly improve transportation conditions for more than 400,000 residents of Zhaosu county and surrounding areas. This step is expected to promote the development of the local tourism industry and improve the investment environment,” said Dalelybek Kanjakhan, an official in the prefecture.
Tianma Zhaosu Airport will be the 23rd civilian airport in the area. Neighboring Kazakhstan, Zhaosu is known as the habitat of one of the best horse breeds in China. The region has promoted horse tourism in recent years.
An international horse tourism festival is held in Zhaosu every summer, where Chinese and foreign visitors can enjoy stunning views of galloping horse herds and horse-riding shows. [sources/photo special]
