The Myanmar Airway International (MAI) is planning to operate a new route between Yangon and GuangZhou by October this year in a bid to enhance the country’s tourism industry, sources with the aviation authority said on Thursday.

For the purpose, the airline is going to add a new airplane – Airbus A-320, the sources said.

The MAI will become another airline flying between the two destinations after china Southern Airlines.

MAI was once a joint venture set up by the state-run Myanmar Airways and a Singapore-based company in 1993 for sole international service flights covering three scheduled flight destinations – Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

In 2007, the Region Air of Hong Kong took over the stake from the Singapore’s with 49 percent held by it, while the remainder 51 percent possessed by the state-run Myanmar Airways.

In May this year, a giant Myanmar private company group, Kanbawza, took over the MAI for continuous operation under the government’s privatisation plan.

The Kanbawza bought up 80 percent stake of the airline with the remainder continued to be held by the government.

MAI is currently operating regular flight services to four destinations – Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Gaya.