The airports in Aleppo and Damascus will resume international flights soon, said an official of Syrian Airlines Wednesday after the Damascus International Airport in Syria's capital reopened for domestic flights on the same day.
Cleaners were seen mopping the floor in the hall of Damascus International Airport, and part of its staff have returned to work. On Dec 8, planes and properties of the airport sustained severe damage.
"The airport suffered extensive damage. Its properties and the equipment on the planes were also severely damaged. We have conducted necessary repairs and fixed the problems," said Yousef Alkhalil, technical director of Syrian Airlines.
The airport is ready to receive international flights in the coming days, said the airport official.
Apart from Damascus International Airport, the airport in Aleppo has also resumed operation for flights. Syrian Airlines said as domestic operation gradually recovers, the company expects to resume international flights in days to come.
"The international airports in Aleppo and Damascus are ready to receive domestic flights, and for the international flights, they will be resumed in the following days," said Kerr, safety director of Syrian Airlines.
Airports in Aleppo, Damascus to resume international flights in days
Airports in Aleppo, Damascus to resume international flights in days
China's Macao Special Administrative Region is looking to diversify its economy beyond its flourishing tourism sector and harness the various advantages from its geographic location in the Greater Bay Area, according to a business leader in the region.
Kevin Ho King Lun, director of the Industry and Commerce Association of Macao, said the region has punched well above its weight economically but is now aiming to further develop through pursuing a "1+4" economic diversification strategy.
The five-year plan, which is scheduled to run through to 2028, will continue to build on its strong tourism and leisure sector while promoting four core industries, namely health and wellness, modern finance, high-tech, and a broader sector which includes exhibitions, commerce, culture and sports.
"Macao is a relatively small economy, with only 680,000 people [and an area of] 33 square kilometers, we are having roughly 400 billion [yuan] in GDP. That gives Macao a very stable economy. For us to transform into a new economic module, apart from already a very successful and prosperous tourism sector, but we have been relying too heavily on the tourism. So we need to start to diversify it. Now we have the '1+4' transformation. From tourism, we need to add in modern finance, we need to add in high-tech businesses, and we need to [also grow] a greater health industry. We are small, but we are flexible," said Ho.
Ho believes that region's positioning as part of the Greater Bay Area -- a major city cluster and vibrant economic region which comprises Hong Kong and Macao, and nine cities in south China's Guangdong Province -- will also enable its service and financial industries to benefit significantly, as Macao integrates further with the mainland.
He also believes the integration of Macao with major economic centers like Shenzhen and Hong Kong -- one of the world's top financial hubs -- will significantly boost the region's global competitiveness.
"Service industries, the finance industry will perform better in the Greater Bay Area, because we have Shenzhen, we have Hong Kong. We have to better utilize the finance and the modern finance breakthrough, so that we are more in the level playing field amongst the world. Macao, as a service industry, we can utilize Macao to attract many more international forums, exhibitions into Hong Kong, Macao and the Greater Bay Area. If we can break through the borders, I think we will have the best places for anywhere in the world to perform shows, to do forums, to attract really high-end business people into our Greater Bay Area," said Ho.
Macao aims to diversify economy beyond tourism sector: business leader
