A flight symbolizing deepening Sino-Korean ties landed smoothly at Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport on May 26, marking the inaugural journey of the newly launched Qingdao–Cheongju air route. Operated by Caissa Travel under Caissa Tourism Group in partnership with South Korea's Aero K Airlines, the route is the first direct connection between Qingdao and the South Korean city of Cheongju. This new link not only fills a gap in direct flights but also integrates tourism and aviation to boost inbound travel to Qingdao.

Travelers from the central South Korean city of Cheongju used to transit through Seoul—often enduring a 6- to 16-hour journey—to reach Qingdao. The new direct service slashes that travel time to just 1.5 hours, establishing an "aerial corridor" between Qingdao and South Korea's central region.

As China's inbound travel continues to surge, Qingdao is seeing a marked increase in foreign visitors. South Korea remains Qingdao's top inbound source market with 105,600 Korean visitors recorded from January to April this year—64% of the city's total inbound arrivals and a 44.86% year-on-year increase. Qingdao introduced a targeted strategy in May to position itself as the first stop for Korean travelers to China by enhancing its appeal as a premier international coastal destination. The new air route is expected to deepen Qingdao's penetration in central South Korea.

Qingdao International Airport Group and Caissa Tosun Development signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the day of the inaugural flight, where both sides pledged to expand air routes to Japan, South Korea, and other intercontinental destinations to promote inbound travel to Qingdao for business and leisure purposes. The partnership also covers in-depth collaboration in areas such as in-flight catering, airport retail, aviation-tourism integration, advertising, and VIP airport services.