LHASA, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region opened three new international and regional cargo flight routes in the first quarter (Q1).

The routes link Lhasa, the regional capital, to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Nepal's capital city of Kathmandu, and Pokhara, the second-largest city in Nepal, according to the Xizang regional office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The maiden flight from Hong Kong arrived at the Lhasa Konggar International Airport at the end of April, carrying 868 kilograms of prepackaged food and other items, including preserved prunes with dried tangerine peel, preserved ginger with plum, and loquat syrup with fritillaria extract.

"Over the years, Xizang has witnessed a sustained increase in demand for imported snacks, with consumers showing growing preference for high-quality and diverse food products," said Tenzin, general manager of the marketing department of Xizang airport group.

"The specialty snacks in this shipment from Hong Kong will further diversify market offerings, providing consumers with more premium choices," Tenzin added.

This batch of goods was not only the first shipment of cross-border e-commerce imported through Xizang's aviation port, but also marked the first-ever air cargo connection between Hong Kong and the region, according to the airport customs.

"The smooth customs clearance of this shipment showed Xizang's breakthrough in cross-border air freight channels, significantly enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of regional cross-border trade," said Li Shisen, director of the airport customs.

The two air routes between Lhasa and Nepal will facilitate imports of high-quality textiles and distinctive copper handicrafts from Nepal. "This strategic addition will diversify our import portfolio while strengthening bilateral trade ties," Li added.

The new cargo flight routes have also accelerated the distribution of Xizang's distinctive products to domestic and global markets. According to official statistics, Xizang's civil aviation sector handled 11,375.3 tonnes of air freight in Q1, up 12.4 percent year on year.

This year, Xizang's foreign trade has seen steady growth. In Q1, the total import and export value of the region reached 2.308 billion yuan (about 320.72 million U.S. dollars), a 5.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the customs of Lhasa.

Of the total, Xizang's exports reached 1.95 billion yuan, remaining stable compared with last year, while its imports amounted to 358 million yuan, marking a 56.7 percent year-on-year increase.

Xizang now has a network of 79 domestic air cargo routes, and continues to strengthen logistics connectivity with other regions across the country.

"Now, fresh agricultural products like matsutake mushrooms can be delivered from the plateau to major cities across the country within 72 hours, with some cities enjoying an ultra-fast two-hour delivery service," said Liu Jie of the Xizang branch of China Post Group Corporation Limited.

Not only domestic and international trade, but also the tourism industry in Xizang is being driven by the takeoff of the region's civil aviation sector.

With the arrival of the peak tourist season in Xizang, which will last until the end of October, airlines have been launching new routes and increasing flight frequencies to meet the growing travel demand from domestic and international passengers. Data shows that 11 domestic and foreign airlines currently operate flights to Xizang, connecting it to 58 cities worldwide.

The ever-expanding flight network is providing residents in Xizang with more travel options than ever before.

"Today our tour group will depart from Lhasa, then travel to Pokhara and Kathmandu in sequence, before finally flying back from Kathmandu," said Pasang, a tour guide with a local travel agency. "The launch of these new air routes has significantly reduced travel time, directly boosting our company's business."

According to Penpa Tsering, a regional civil aviation official, Xizang's civil aviation sector will continue its aviation network development to achieve convenient connectivity with more cities in home and abroad.