International flights to operate from Phu Cat airport

The move was made after the provincial People’s Committee asked the Ministry of Transport to allow international flights to operate out of the Phu Cat airport to cope with the growing number of tourists.

Domestic carriers Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways have a plan to open international flights to serve tourists from Quy Nhon to Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea and China in 2019.

Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said tourism development was a priority for the local economy.

To promote tourism development, the province had implemented tourism promotion activities, he said.

In 2017, Binh Dinh welcomed 3.7 million tourists, up 15.6 percent over 2016, and 3.4 million tourists in the first nine months of this year.

The Vietnam Airlines Corporation (ACV) has completed infrastructure at the airport including a parking lot and domestic terminal to meet the demands of domestic and international passengers.

The ACV is also upgrading the airport’s old terminal to serve international tourists.

At a recent meeting with Binh Dinh province, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The supported the plan to open international flights to and from the Phu Cat airport and to improve infrastructure to meet international standards.

In May, the ACV officially moved its operations to Phu Cat Airport’s new terminal.

Vietnam Airlines is operating 35 flights per week to and from the city, including 14 flights between Hanoi and Quy Nhon and 21 flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Quy Nhon.

Quy Nhon city is striving to welcome 4.67 million tourists by 2020.