(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOVEMBER 7 - The company China Eastern will launch a new direct air passenger route between Budapest and Shanghai next year, the Hungarian government has announced. China Eastern "is expected to fly four times-a-week between Budapest and Shanghai" from next summer, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said in a statement. "China has become the country that sends the most tourists, and according to five-year forecasts, Chinese tourism to Europe will be increasing by 70 percent, in addition to which Chinese tourists spend the most", Szijjarto noted. Currently, there is only one direct flight from Hungary to China, connecting Budapest to Beijing. The arrival of Chines tourists to Hungary "increased by 14 percent during the first eight months of this year, and according to forecasts more than 250 thousand tourists are expected to come to Hungary from China before the end of this year," the minister noted, adding that the new route will further increase the numbers. (ANSA).