The first direct flight between Shanghai and Yangon, Myanmar, will be launched on July 1 by Shanghai-based Spring Airlines.

This new route will halve the time required to reach the Southeast Asian city. Current flights require seven hours and more, as well as a stopover in Kunming of Yunnan province.

The direct flight from Shanghai to Yangon will be operated by Spring Airlines every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Return flights are available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

"We have long been dedicated to promoting tourism in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative," said Shao Yuhua, general manager of the Asia Pacific department of Spring Tour. "The newly-launched route is expected to make Myanmar a hot scenic spot for Chinese tourists."

According to Spring Tour, the travel arm of Shanghai-based Spring Group, the improvement in visa policies, transportation and payment channels has made Yangon a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

The company noted that the number of tourists visiting Southeast Asian countries and regions related to the initiative in the past three years has grown between 10 and 15 percent annually.

The group has in recent years launched three travel routes for tourists in well-known historical cities in Myanmar including Mandalay, Bago and Bagan.