Turkey’s Van Way Airlines is set to launch flights to Armenia from the eastern city of Van to provide transportation opportunities for businesspeople from both countries.

The flights will feature private airplanes rented by Arslan Bayram, a businessman from Van province. Bayram aims to accelerate the trade relations between businesspeople from Van and Armenia, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Bayram said flights between Van and Yerevan will contribute to cultural, economic and faith tourism.

Turkish airline AtlastJet and Armenia’s national carrier Armavia regularly operate flights from Istanbul and the northern city of Trabzon to Armenia’s capital city Yerevan two times a week in the winter season. In the summer season, the companies also operate flights from Turkey’s Antalya and Bodrum to Yerevan.

“In addition to Armenia flights, we aim to expand our flight network to include Iraq and Iran. There are only a few procedures to achieve this goal,” Bayram said, adding that “opening the border and establishing a peace environment will provide a boom for trade in both countries.”

“Van is physically close to Armenia, but due to the closed borders, highway transportation is impossible. Trade between Armenia and the eastern cities of Turkey is provided through Georgia,” Bayram said.

Bayram, who is also the owner of the Bayram Otel and Bestvan Tur, a tourism agency, in Van, said, “We have been in the tourism sector for many years and we wanted to meet the demands of our passengers. The development of Van and its opening to the world is the mission of businesspeople from Van.”

“Interest in Van’s cultural and historical values has increased in the recent years. The number of tourists coming to Van is increasing,” Bayram said. “New hotels are opening and the tourism in Van is growing.”