SHENZHEN, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Hainan Airlines will launch a direct air route linking China's southern boomtown of Shenzhen with Italy's capital Rome on May 30, according to an airport in Shenzhen.

The flight HU437, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, will depart , Shenzhen Baoan International Airport at 1:30 a.m. Beijing time every Thursday and Sunday and is scheduled to arrive in Rome at 8:10 a.m. local time.

The return flight HU438 will depart Rome at 11:25 a.m. local time and arrive in Shenzhen at 5:20 a.m. Beijing time on the next day.

Italy is the second most popular European destination for Chinese tourists with a total of 1.8 million trips made in 2018, according to a recent report by the China Tourism Academy and the travel agency Ctrip. Italy issued 15 percent more visas in China last year.