A conference on market promotion for the Van Don International Airport will be held from February 28 to March 1 in Quang Ninh Province.

A view of Van Don International Airport by night. Quang Ninh will hold a conference to call foreign airlines to open routes to the airport. — Photo congthuong.vn

The event, organised by provincial authorities and Sun Group, is expected to attract more than 60 airlines and travel companies interested in opening routes to the airport or tours in the province.

The conference includes farm trips and a workshop on March 1. The farm trip programmes will be for airlines, airline associations, travel agencies and management agencies to experience tourist destinations in Ha Long and the Van Don airport, reported Cong Thuong (Industry and Trade) newspaper.

Participants will visit world natural heritage site Ha Long Bay and experience entertainment activities in the Sun World Halong Complex, as well as learn about the infrastructure at Ha Long International Tourist Harbor and Van Don airport.

After nearly two months in operation, Van Don airport has welcomed more than 15,000 passengers transported by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways – Viet Nam’s three biggest airlines. The airport handles about 30 arrivals and departures each week.

Now, some airlines have announced their plans to open routes to the airport including Dong Hai Airlines (China) and Bangkok Airways (Thailand). Vietnam Airlines said it is likely to co-operate with HaNa Tour Company (South Korea) to open a direct flight between Van Don Airport and South Korea.

Vietjet has conducted surveys on beginning direct flights between Taiwan and the airport.

During the conference, provincial authorities will also present attractive preferential policies for airlines and travel firms that agree to establish new routes to the airport.

The conference is expected to bring opportunities for co-operation between travel agencies and domestic and foreign airlines. It is also a chance to develop the tourism industry in Quang Ninh via strategic co-operation agreements.

The main reason for airlines to open routes to the airport is the tourism potential of Quang Ninh and the city of Ha Long.

Thanks to tourism promotion activities, Quang Ninh welcomed 12.2 million visitors in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 24 per cent, including 5.2 million international visitors.

Van Don International Airport is the first private airport in Viet Nam. It can receive large-capacity aircrafts. Terminal 1 can receive 2.5 million passengers and 10,000 tonnes of cargo per year. — VNS