New flight links Sri Lanka, China's Chongqing

Sri Lankan Airlines has launched a non-stop flight linking south China's Chongqing City with Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, to meet rising traveler demand from Chinese tourists.

Chongqing is the fifth Chinese city or region and only one in the country's west to have a direct air link with Colombo. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong are the others.

Operated by Airbus A320, the flight takes off from Chongqing at 10:30 a.m. and arrives in Colombo at 3 p.m. local time every Tuesday. The flight from Colombo takes off at 11:40 p.m. local time every Monday and arrives in Chongqing at 10:15 a.m. the next day.

Known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka attracted over 50,000 Chinese visitors between January and April and the number is expected to surpass 120,000 by the end of this year.