A cooperation agreement was recently signed between Joy Air Holdings Limited (Joy Air) and Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture concerning the general transport route and general waterplane tourism development project, involving an investment of 2 billion yuan.

Upon completion of the project, at least four water aerodromes will have been built on the waters of the cascade hydropower stations on the Lancang River or the reservoirs and lakes in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, forming the Xishuangbanna waterplane tourism loop routes.

According to Joy Air, Yunnan has six large rivers and many reservoirs, which are valuable resources for developing water aerodromes. In particular, the well-developed tourism industry in Yunnan is attracting numerous tourist groups, promising great prospects for the development of waterplane tourism loop routes. The first water aerodrome in Yunnan is expected to be completed on the Manwan Reservoir in 2015.