The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has agreed a location in Loc An Commune in Dat Do District for Ho Tram Project Co Ltd to build an airport to cater to its guests.

According to information about the project on the province’s portal last week, the build-operate-transfer project will cover 200 hectares and is expected to recover investment within 50 years.

Earlier Ho Tram Project Co Ltd suggested selecting either Loc An Commune or Binh Chau Commune in Xuyen Moc District, part of Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, as the project site.

The company said the airport will help bring more tourists from other domestic airports to its integrated resort The Grand Ho Tram Strip for stay, conference and entertainment.

Departments of the province described the project as infeasible in Binh Chau Commune, saying  the proposed location would affect 55 hectares of natural and replanted forests and 93 hectares of cashew and melaleuca. So, Loc An Commune is appropriate for the airport as it is close to the sea and does not have many projects.

According to the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Department of Transport, there are two airports in the province including Vung Tau airport which mainly serves flights for the oil and gas sector and Con Dao airport for commercial flights in line with the zoning plan for transport development towards 2030 approved by the Prime Minister.

Therefore, the tourism airport must be approved for being added to the zoning plan and submitted to the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Transport for comment before the investor is allowed to proceed with it.

SGT