Hong Kong Express to resume flights to Hualien in December

Taipei, Oct. 8 (CNA) Low-cost airline Hong Kong Express Airways announced on Tuesday that it will resume direct flights to Hualien County on Dec. 12.

The carrier said they will offer four round-trip services to the destination in eastern Taiwan each week, ending a six-year hiatus.

Hualien will be the carrier's fourth main destination in Taiwan -- after Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung -- bringing a total of 144 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Taiwan, the airline said in a statement.

"Travelers can embark on a journey of discovery for the mind and body in a city exalted by natural beauty and vibrant culture in just two hours," Hong Kong Express said of Hualien.

The airline launched direct flights between the two destinations in 2016, with the average seat occupancy of the flights exceeding 95 percent, according to the Hualien County government on Tuesday.

However, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Hualien in 2018 led to a sharp decline in tourist demand, resulting in the airline suspending the route on Oct. 27 that year.

During a visit to Hualien on Monday, Nicolas Wong (黃柏燊), general manager of the carrier's ground services, told County Magistrate Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚) that the Hualien market is well-positioned because younger travelers increasingly favor destinations with "unique tourism resources" instead of large cities.