The Badminton World Federation (BWF), and Xiamen Airlines took part in a partnership signing ceremony in front of an audience including guests such as Ji Xinpeng, China's winner of the Olympic gold medal in the men's singles at Sydney 2000. 

As part of the ceremony the BWF and Xiamen Airlines exchanged corporate gifts and unveiled a partnership logo, which displayed a strong synergy between the BWF's shuttlecock shaped logo and the Xiamen Airline's Egret design logo, designed to symbolise the vitality of sport, it was claimed. 

The partnership will see the airline unveiled a range of special travel packages aimed at enticing more badminton fans to attend the World Championships, while they will create and give away badminton souvenirs.

In return the airline will benefit from extensive television exposure, with 30 countries set to broadcast the World Championships.

Xiamen Airlines are hoping to cash in on the popularity of badminton in Asia with its new sponsorship deal for this year's World Championships in Jakarta ©Getty Images



"This strategic partnership brings the best resources of both BWF and Xiamen Airlines together in achieving their respective ambitions of getting more people to play and watch badminton, and having more people on board Xiamen Airlines," said Zhao Dong, deputy general manager of Xiamen Airlines.

Badminton is one of Asia's most popular sports with 17 of the last 27 editions of the BWF World Championships, Thomas and Uber Cup Finals and Sudirman Cup tournaments having taken place on the continent and the new agreement is seen as way to help Xiamen Airlines to continue to establish their brand in the Asian market.

The agreement with Xiamen Airlines is the latest partnership announced by the BWF, after they came to a four year agreement with Total in January, with the energy giants set to cover major BWF events.

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