Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has announced an ambitious plan to open new routes for commercial flights from nations that send tourists to Vietnam to develop tourism into one of the country’s main economic sectors.
The plan will also increase the frequency of flights on existing flight plans.
These are the key components of a recently revealed scheme drafted with the goal to strengthen Vietnam’s allure as a tourist destination for international travelers, reported state-run VNA.
The draft proposes focusing on markets that send the most tourists to Vietnam, including the United States, France, England, Japan, and many others. New domestic routes are also proposed to make travel easier between popular tourist destinations.
If the plan is successful, Vietnamese airports will also receive flights from many more Chinese cities by 2020, including Chongqing, Dalian, Haikou, and Wuhan.
Also by 2020, national company Vietnam Airlines will open new direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to cities in the U.S. and Australia. The plan sees San Francisco and Los Angeles as possible destinations in the United States, and there will also be flights to Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. By 2025, all other domestic airlines will also be allowed to run flights from Vietnam to the two countries.
The ministry’s proposal will also explore other airline benefits to encourage the opening of routes from countries that are sources of tourism, and will encourage Vietnamese airlines to increase the number of flights they run to international destinations.
The draft also proposes an “open skies” policy for international flights. In practice, this will eliminate restrictions on which airlines have the right to fly in and out of the country.
Between 2010 and 2017, the air transport market grew at an average rate of 17.1% in passenger terms and 11.2% in cargo terms each year.
In 2017, the country’s airports serviced 94 million passengers and processed 1.36 million tons of cargo, marking an accelerated rate of increase for both measures.
Vietnam is served by 71 foreign airlines from 25 other countries. It is also served by domestic companies Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, and VietJet. Major airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Qatar Airways are complemented by budget offerings including Air Asia, Jetstar Asia, and Tiger Airways.
Photo: kounosu
