China Eastern will operate five weekly Shanghai-Venice flights from the end of March 2026.
Venice Week in Shanghai Pudong Airport
Venice presents itself as the main gateway to the Dolomites, reachable in two hours from Marco Polo International Airport, as well as to the entire system of nine UNESCO sites in the Veneto region, thanks to a special initiative underway at Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong Airport (until 20 March 2026). “Venice Week” is an exhibition and interactive area, created as a gesture of hospitality by the Shanghai Airport Authority, which conceived and developed the concept of the space to welcome Italy to the Chinese airport. In autumn 2026, Venice Airport will in turn offer a dedicated space within its terminal to promote the airport and the Shanghai area.
The Venetian airport also serves Slovenia
The event is the result of the close collaboration between the Save Group, operator of Marco Polo International Airport and Shanghai Airport, which saw the launch of a direct flight operated by China Eastern Airlines on 26 September 2024. The flight, which has recorded a load factor of over 80% since its debut, will increase to five weekly flights from 29 March, responding to solid market demand.The Venetian airport thus confirms its role as a gateway to a large, cross-border area that also effectively serves Slovenia. To maximize the impact on the Asian market, the Dolomiti Bellunesi DMO has been involved, communicating the destination to passengers in transit in Shanghai through an interactive space.
First visit to Italy for 65% of Chinese passengers
“We want to make it known how it is possible to reach various places in the region quickly from Venice, taking advantage of a variety of opportunities, including our mountains,- says Camillo Bozzolo, director of aviation development for the Save Group. The data confirm the effectiveness of the direct flight: 78% of Chinese passengers who choose Venice as their travel destination say they were greatly influenced by the existence of the direct flight, and for 65% of them, this is their first trip to Italy. In a context of instability in the Middle East, this direct flight remains a strategic and safe reference point for traffic between Europe and Asia. It is an important opportunity for our catchment area: 96% of Italian passengers using this flight come from Veneto and Friuli, with a significant penetration of the Slovenian market.”
Promoting the Belluno Dolomites
“The presence of the Belluno Dolomites in Shanghai is part of a process of opening up to the Chinese market that we have been pursuing for some time,- says eEmanuela de Zanna, president of the Belluno Dolomites Foundation. -We will return to Shanghai in the coming months to participate in one of the country's major tourism fairs, continuing our work of building relationships with local operators and media. We are seeing very positive signs of interest in our mountains, with growing public engagement on Chinese digital platforms. The direct flights between Shanghai and Venice are an extraordinary opportunity to make the Belluno Dolomites increasingly accessible and known internationally."
