Greater Bay Airlines launched its inaugural service from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,  on September 3, becoming the third carrier on the route with daily round-trips. The new route is expected to further boost cultural and economic exchanges between the two Chinese regions. So far this year, 593 flights and over 88,000 passenger crossings have been recorded between HKSAR and Urumqi, with 73% of inbound Hong Kong travelers visiting for tourism. Many international visitors come for Xinjiang's attractions, while others use Urumqi as a transit hub to Central Asia, West Asia, and Europe.