HOHHOT -- Taiwan-based airline EVA Air launched a direct flight route between Taipei and the mainland city of Hohhot on Monday.

It is the first route linking north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Taiwan and is expected to boost tourism on both sides of the strait.

Maiden flight BR728, carrying 177 passengers, took off from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 10:55 a.m. and arrived in Hohhot at 2:35 p.m.on Monday, according to Hohhot Baita International Airport.

The return flight departed from Hohhot at 3:50 p.m. and will arrive in Taipei at 7:25 p.m.

The flight will be offered three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.

Cheng Chuan-Yi, general manager of EVA Air, said Inner Mongolia will expect more Taiwanese tourists between June and September, while Taiwan will receive more travelers from Inner Mongolia in the winter.

"The direct flight will help strengthen cooperation and exchanges between the two regions," Cheng said.

A second direct flight linking Inner Mongolia's Hailar and Taipei will be launched on Tuesday. The flight time is expected to be 4 hours and ten minutes.

According to statistics from regional tourism authorities, 11,900 travelers from Inner Mongolia visited Taiwan in 2012. The figure for the first four months of 2013 reached 7,217.

The cost of an eight-day trip from Inner Mongolia to Taiwan has dropped from 9,000 yuan (1467.9 U.S. dollars) to 8,000 yuan due to the opening of the new flight.