People release balloons into the air in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, December 6, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

KUNMING - A regular direct air route between Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, and Paris, is expected to be launched on December 18, said the Yunnan Branch of China Eastern Airlines on Friday.

An Airbus A330-200 aircraft will depart every Monday, Thursday and Saturday from Kunming. The 9,471-km trip will take about 13 hours, according to the airline.

Kunming is known as Spring City in China for its mild climate and green environment. The city began offering international transit passengers 72-hour visa-free stays on October 1st.

The new route, the first intercontinental direct route departing from Yunnan, can further boost tourism in the province, as well as countries in Europe, Southeast and South Asia.