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Direct flights between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan are set to launch in the first quarter of next year, a new aviation milestone that Executive Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung said will help position the city as a preferred air gateway for Central Asian enterprises.
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Welcoming the development announced on Tuesday, Lam thanked the government for proactively responding to the business sector’s requests and making swift arrangements.
Lam said direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty will be crucial to unlocking passenger traffic, as they will significantly shorten travel time for business professionals and increase tourists’ willingness to visit.
The new route will also benefit sectors including logistics, exhibitions and financial services, Lam said. He added that cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges between the two places are also expected to grow.
Lam expressed confidence that, in the long term, Hong Kong will develop into an air gateway for Central Asian firms seeking to tap Southeast Asian markets and the Greater Bay Area.
Speaking on broader business prospects, Lam said Hong Kong enterprises should make use of the city’s “super connector” advantage. He noted that the high-level delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reflected a strong mutual commitment to deepening ties.
He added that Central Asia has immense market potential, and said bilateral business links are expected to continue growing now that a key first step has been taken.
