People attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony of a photo exhibition at Dublin Airport in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 2019. The exhibition, organized by Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) with the support of Dublin Airport as well as the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, was aimed at attracting more visitors to Beijing from Ireland by availing the newly opened direct flight route between the two capitals, which is operated by China's Hainan Airlines four times a week. (Xinhua)

DUBLIN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Over 24,000 passengers have been handled by Beijing-Dublin direct flight route since its opening on June 12, 2018, said a Chinese airport official here on Friday.

The figure was disclosed by Du Qiang, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), while addressing the unveiling ceremony of a photo exhibition held at Terminal One of Dublin Airport on Friday morning.

The exhibition, which is organized by BCIA with the support of Dublin Airport as well as the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, aims to attract more visitors to Beijing from Ireland by availing the newly opened direct flight route between the two cities, which is operated by China's Hainan Airlines four times a week.

A number of photos showing the fantastic tourist spots in Beijing such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City were displayed at the exhibition which will last for a month.

Since its opening, the Beijing-Dublin direct flights have contributed a great deal to the connectivity between the two cities as well as to the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, said Du.

BCIA highly values the sistership relations it has formed with Dublin Airport and looks forward to working together with Dublin Airport to provide more convenient and comfortable travel experiences for passengers travelling between the two cities, he said.

BCIA and Dublin Airport formed a sistership relationship in July 2013, two years after Beijing twined with Dublin in 2011.

Addressing the event, Chinese ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong said the opening of three direct flight routes between China and Ireland in just slightly over one year's time is a strong testament to the strengthened relationship between the two countries.

He said that 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and Ireland and the opening of the three direct flights between the two sides will surely serve as an impetus to the further development of the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two counties.

Dalton Philips, CEO of Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), which owns and operates Dublin Airport, also addressed the event, during which he said that Dublin Airport looks forward to a similar photo exhibition to be launched later this year at BCIA to promote the tourism industry of Dublin in Beijing.

The other two direct flight routes linking Dublin to Hong Kong and Shenzhen were opened in June 2018 and in February 2019 respectively.