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The successful test flight at Shengle International Airport highlights Hohhot’s emergence as a key hub on the “Air Silk Road”

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Hohhot Shengle

HOHHOT,CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 December 2025 – On November 25, the calibration aircraft landed smoothly, marking the successful completion of the on-site verification test flight at Hohhot Shengle International Airport. This important milestone indicates that Inner Mongolia’s first 4F-class airport has moved from the construction phase to the final stages of preparation for its official opening.

As Inner Mongolia’s first 4F-class airport—the highest standard in civil aviation airfields—this airport is fully equipped to accommodate the world’s most advanced commercial aircraft.

Moreover, it functions as a regional aviation hub, a primary alternate landing site within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei airport cluster, a Class I international aviation port, and a key transportation node in China’s national “Belt and Road Initiative”. Its essential role is to connect domestic and international destinations while linking eastern and western regions.

“Where heaven and earth meet, all things communicate.” Thanks to its unique geographic location, Hohhot has long served as a vital transportation center. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, Shengle, the capital city, controlled the critical passage between the Central Plains, the grasslands, and the desert, fostering thriving commerce and travel. In the Tang Dynasty, Shengle also served as a major commercial route extending north from Baidouchuan to present-day Erenhot, Manzhouli, and further into Russia and Mongolia. During the Qing Dynasty, Guisui City was a key node on the Grassland Silk Road. From the late 17th to early 20th century, the 13,000-kilometer Tea Road began at Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province in the south, passed through Hohhot in Inner Mongolia, continued north to Mongolia, and ultimately reached Russia. In modern times, Hohhot has emerged as a crucial transportation hub under the “Belt and Road Initiative,” linking the mainland of China with Russia, Mongolia, and the heart of Europe. For centuries, merchants from home and abroad have gathered here, fostering vibrant trade and rich cultural exchanges.

The echoes of history continue to resonate. This ancient route, once bustling with camel caravans and travelers, is now being revitalized with new significance for the modern era. Shengle International Airport is dedicated to becoming a key hub on the new “Air Silk Road,” serving as a vital gateway across North China and connecting Eurasia. It aims to make a unique and meaningful contribution to this important legacy.

From above, the airport’s terminal is designed to resemble a finely crafted saddle, reflecting the dynamic heritage of the horse-riding cultures in the region. The main facade of the terminal features a 600-meter-long eave inspired by the flowing khata scarf, offering a warm and inviting welcome to visitors from around the globe. The terminal’s skylights are thoughtfully crafted using spindle columns, cables, and inflatable membranes, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a traditional Mongolian yurt. Looking upward, travelers can enjoy views of the expansive grassland sky and clouds, celebrating Inner Mongolia’s rich cultural heritage and sharing the distinctive beauty of grassland culture with the world.

Shengle Airport’s appeal extends beyond its striking design to its thoughtfully planned interior layout. More than just a transportation hub, it serves as a vital platform connecting the world. As a key node on the “Belt and Road” land corridor and the northern gateway of the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor, Hohhot is utilizing this state-of-the-art airport to accelerate its integration into the global network.

In the near term, Shengle International Airport aims to achieve an annual passenger capacity of 28 million, handle 320,000 tons of cargo and mail, and manage 244,000 aircraft movements by 2030. Looking further ahead to 2050, these figures are expected to grow to 65 million passengers, 800,000 tons of cargo and mail, and 511,000 aircraft movements.

To enhance the travel experience for international passengers, Shengle International Airport has proactively upgraded its communication infrastructure. Previously, the construction of civil communication facilities at Hohhot Shengle International Airport was successfully completed. To meet the demands of international travelers and business passengers, the regional communication system has implemented a “seamless access” plan in advance. All three major telecom operators share a jointly built network, ensuring passengers enjoy “uninterrupted” connectivity from arrival through boarding and departure.

Looking forward, Shengle Airport will continue to expand its international routes with exceptional performance. By 2025, Hohhot Airport will establish strong partnerships with Xi’an and Qingdao airports. Leveraging Qingdao Airport’s connections to Japan and South Korea, and Xi’an Airport’s access to Northwest China, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, new transfer services will be launched connecting Hohhot via Xi’an or Qingdao to other domestic and international destinations.

Additionally, capitalizing on Hohhot’s strategic location facing Russia and Mongolia and linking Northeast and Northwest China, transfer services will be introduced from Xi’an or Qingdao through Hohhot to various regional cities as well as Russia and Mongolia. These initiatives will create aerial bridges fostering economic exchange and cultural communication across regions.

As the morning sun brightens the northern frontier, Shengle International Airport stands out like a shining gem above the grasslands. This young and dynamic airport is not only Hohhot’s new gateway but also a crucial hub connecting China to the world. From here, Inner Mongolia’s high-quality development will gain fresh momentum, and China’s northern frontier will embrace broader opportunities for global engagement.

 

Business

Marriott Bonvoy Partners with Ethiopian Airlines, Taking Member Travel Benefits to New Heights

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Marriott

This collaboration marks a key partnership for Marriott Bonvoy with a leading African airline, connecting Ethiopian Airlines’ network of over 145 destinations with Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 24, 2026/APO Group/ –Marriott Bonvoy® (https://apo-opa.co/4bMGKjw), Marriott International’s (www.Marriott.com) award-winning travel programme and Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline and a Star Alliance member, today announced a partnership that gives travellers more opportunities to earn and redeem points and miles across both hotel stays and flights.

 

Starting today, eligible members of Marriott Bonvoy and ShebaMiles, Ethiopian Airlines’ loyalty programme, can convert ShebaMiles into Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays, upgrades and more, as well as Marriott Bonvoy points to ShebaMiles to book flights. Members can also choose whether to earn Marriott Bonvoy points or ShebaMiles when staying at properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.

This collaboration marks a key partnership for Marriott Bonvoy with a leading African airline, connecting Ethiopian Airlines’ network of over 145 destinations with Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations worldwide.

Through our partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy members will have the freedom to enjoy the benefits of loyalty in ways that are most meaningful to them

“Africa is one of the world’s fastest‑growing regions for travel, and this partnership reflects our continued commitment to deliver the most rewarding travel experiences for our members,” said Andrew Watson, Chief Commercial Officer – Europe, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Through our partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy members will have the freedom to enjoy the benefits of loyalty in ways that are most meaningful to them – whether earning miles during their stays or using points to get the miles they need for flights.”

Rahel Assefa, Ethiopian Airlines Group Vice President of Marketing, also remarked: “The partnership we have established with Marriott Bonvoy is part of our ongoing efforts to advance our vision of enhancing the ShebaMiles member travel experience while diversifying our service offerings. Through this new partnership, our ShebaMiles members will have greater opportunities to earn and redeem their miles through access to Marriott Bonvoy’s global network of hotels across multiple touchpoints and destinations in Africa and around the world. Ethiopian Airlines remains committed to building strategic partnerships with various stakeholders that enhance our service offerings and enable us to continually exceed our customers’ expectations.”

Ethiopian Airlines offers extensive coverage across Africa and frequent connections to major global cities such as Mumbai, Paris, London, Washington D.C. and Beijing. As a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline network, Ethiopian Airlines gives ShebaMiles members – and Marriott Bonvoy members who convert points to ShebaMiles – access to flight redemptions and cabin upgrades across 25 Star Alliance partner airlines serving more than 1,150 destinations.

ShebaMiles members can convert miles to Marriott Bonvoy points at a 2:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy members can convert points to ShebaMiles at a 3:1 ratio and will receive 5,000 bonus ShebaMiles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred in a single transaction. On eligible stays at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties, members can earn up to two miles per US dollar spent or can earn Marriott Bonvoy points as normal.

To access these benefits, members simply need to be enrolled in both Marriott Bonvoy and ShebaMiles programmes. No account linking is required. For more information, visit the Marriott Bonvoy (https://apo-opa.co/4rQdMFq) and ShebaMiles (https://apo-opa.co/3Ptwa9A) websites.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Marriott International, Inc..

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Travel & Tourism

Emirates wishes customers ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ and honours the Holy Month

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Emirates

For the month of Ramadan, customers breaking their fast across all cabin classes to select destinations will be offered nutritionally balanced Ramadan meal boxes

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, February 16, 2026/APO Group/ –Reflecting the spirit of togetherness and generosity during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Emirates (www.Emirates.com) will share thousands of iftar boxes for fasting customers both onboard and at boarding gates, offer complimentary Emirates prayer mats, screen an array of religious content and popular TV shows on ice, and present traditional Ramadan dishes in the lounges.

Emirates Iftar boxes at Boarding Gates

For the comfort of all fasting customers, complimentary iftar boxes to help break the fast containing water, laban, a banana, and dates are distributed at select Emirates Boarding Gates during iftar time.

Emirates Ramadan meal boxes and prayer mats onboard

For the month of Ramadan, customers breaking their fast across all cabin classes to select destinations will be offered nutritionally balanced Ramadan meal boxes. Iftar meals are served in bespoke boxes designed by Emirates to represent the geometric design of traditional Islamic art. The meal boxes include traditional dates, light bites of hummus, moutabel or muhammara with Arabic bread, a hearty chicken mossakan sandwich or herbed chicken sandwich, sweet treats of chocolate almonds, baklawa pistachio mamoul or baklawa pine seed cashew, and laban. Emirates’ Ramadan boxes are served in addition to the regular hot meal service.

To ensure the highest levels of accuracy for fasting Muslim passengers, Emirates uses a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for imsak (the time to commence fasting) and iftar while inflight, based on the times of the sunrise and sunset of the location the flight is passing by using the aircraft’s longitude, latitude, and altitude. When the sun sets, passengers will be officially informed of the iftar time by the captain.

Emirates also has special keepsake prayer mats on all flights, which are available by request to Cabin Crew.

Ramadan refreshments in the lounges

Across the 7 Emirates Lounges in Dubai International Airport (DXB), an array of Arabic sweets, dates and coffee will be offered during Ramadan. Traditional dishes available in First and Business Class lounges will include a selection of hot and cold Arabic mezze, lentil soup, Arabic mixed grill with tahina, lamb kabsa, chicken machboos with cucumber yoghurt saucelamb shanks ouzi with hashweh rice and dakous, followed by desserts of pistachio kunafa, kathayef cream, basbousa saffron, kitta cheesecake, cheese kunafa, walnut kathayefhomemade Arabic coffee and dates ice cream or baklawa ice cream, a host of traditional Arabic pastries, and classic drinks of jallab and laban. Emirates Lounges in Cairo and Jeddah will also serve an array of delicious Ramadan dishes.

Emirates Lounges have dedicated prayer rooms and ablution facilities to ensure a peaceful environment for worship.

Ramadan content and popular series on ice

For the duration of the Holy Month, Emirates ice will feature special religious content including Kheir Qodwa, Qalb Al Mo’men, Wa Yatoub Allah Alaykom, Al Huqooq Al Sharaeya, and Nafhat in Arabic. In Urdu, ice will feature Ramadan Mah e Rehmat and Hoshyarian. The Holy Qur’an is also available on ice.

Popular series and dramas will be available such as Ma Taraho Laysa Kama Yabdo, Febrayer Al Aswad and Al Mtwassf as well as Hazza. Amongst more than 6500 channels of on demand entertainment on ice, there are up to 450 channels of movies and TV in the Arabic language, as well as 400 channels of Arabic music and podcasts.

Emirates’ new Bukhoor Scents for Ramadan

To enhance the Ramadan spirit at home and set the mood, Emirates has launched a new range of Bukhoor scents perfect for the season. The new home fragrances include the bestselling Oud Rose with notes of raspberry, rose, geranium, oud, patchouli and vanilla, as well as new additions Dreamy Nights featuring sweet green citrus, sweet balsam, jasmine, amber, cedar and spicy vanilla, and finally Sacred Ember with notes of saffron, lavender, bergamot, musk, tobacco and cedar. Ideal for Ramadan gifting, each 70g pot of Bukhoor is available for USD 52 in the Emirates Official Store (http://apo-opa.co/4aRQGsy), in an elegant white and gold design featuring Emirates’ signature Ghaf tree motif.

Supporting Emirates customers on Umrah

For Umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Medina during the Holy Month, Ramadan boxes will be served inflight. Customers are also entitled to check in one bottle of ‘ZAMZAM’ – Islamic holy water containing up to 5 litres per person at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and various airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Ramadan Awareness Training for Emirates staff

Emirates provides Ramadan awareness training for its cabin crew and on ground teams in Dubai and across its network. Special training resources have been provided to ensure operational teams are aware of the Holy Month, understand the cultural significance and nuances of this time and recognise specific practices that Muslims engage in, so they are prepared to provide the highest levels of service to customers throughout their travel experience.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Emirates Group.

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Travel & Tourism

Love in the skies: Emirates SkyCargo connects Kenya’s exports to the world – on Valentine’s Day and beyond

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Emirates

Kenya remains one of the world’s largest exporters of fresh-cut flowers, with significant volumes transported by air to international markets, particularly in Europe

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 13, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • Emirates SkyCargo ensures Kenya’s time-sensitive exports reach global markets quickly and in optimal condition.
  • Two daily passenger flights from Nairobi (three from 1 March) and three weekly freighter services offer 1,100 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, Emirates SkyCargo continues to support Kenya’s export community by ensuring that time-sensitive shipments – from fresh-cut flowers to premium gifts – reach customers around the world quickly and in optimal condition.

Kenya remains one of the world’s largest exporters of fresh-cut flowers, with significant volumes transported by air to international markets, particularly in Europe. Strong international demand means reliable air cargo capacity is essential year-round. Beyond flowers, Kenya exports fresh produce including avocados and vegetables, as well as tea and coffee, all of which rely on efficient air transport to preserve quality and meet overseas delivery schedules.

Emirates currently operates two daily passenger services from Nairobi, increasing to three daily flights from 1 March. In addition, Emirates SkyCargo operates three dedicated weekly freighter services into the capital, providing a combined weekly cargo capacity (https://apo-opa.co/4twsWln) of 1,100 tonnes into and out of the market. These three weekly freighters fly directly from Nairobi to Amsterdam, ensuring rapid delivery to key European markets.

Flowers and fresh produce are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and handling delays. From acceptance at origin in Kenya to the final destination, shipments are handled through Emirates SkyCargo’s temperature-controlled processes designed to protect product quality during transit.

Emirates’ dedicated cargo facilities are equipped to efficiently handle large volumes of perishable cargo. Fast transfer times and carefully managed cold-chain procedures help maintain freshness, particularly during high-demand periods.

This operational capability enables Kenyan growers, cooperatives, and exporters – including small and medium-sized enterprises – to scale production and fulfil large international contracts in a sector that contributes significantly to employment opportunities in the country.

By maintaining frequent services and dedicated cargo capacity into and out of Nairobi, Emirates SkyCargo helps sustain these value chains throughout the year. While Valentine’s Day highlights the scale of flower exports, reliable year-round connectivity is what enables Kenya’s broader export trade to thrive.

As international demand for Kenyan products continues to rise, Emirates remains committed to supporting exporters with dependable global connections from Nairobi to markets worldwide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Emirates Group.

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