QINGDAO-- A direct air route opened on Sunday between East China's coastal city of Qingdao and Sydney, Australia, to meet the demand of tourism and businesses.

Beijing-based Capital Airlines runs the route with Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft. The flights from Qingdao, Shandong province, to Sydney run on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with another four from Sydney to Qingdao every week.

Capital Airlines, a joint venture between HNA Group and Beijing Tourism Group, launched the direct flight between Qingdao and Melbourne in September 2016, the first direct air route between Shandong and Australia.

Australia is an important source of visitors for the Chinese province and also a popular destination of Shandong tourists.