Chinese tourist arrivals in Vietnam reached 2.2 million during January-July, up 51 percent year-on-year, with the figure expected to rise thanks to the launch of a direct air route between Vietnam’s Da Nang city and China’s Zunyi city.

Passengers get off an plane at Da Nang International Airport 

The flight, which will start on August 5 and be served by an Airbus A321, will take off at 12:10 pm from Da Nang International Airport in central Vietnam and arrive at Zunyi Xinzhou Airport in the southwestern part of China at 3:55 pm local time.

Departure from Zunyi is on the same day at 4:55 pm, arriving in Da Nang at 7:00 pm.

Flights will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The route is the first international flight Zunyi has opened this year and is expected to help boost tourism, business and investment between the two cities.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Vietnam welcomed more than 7.2 million international tourists in the first seven months of 2017.

VNA