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On the morning of April 12, 2022, the first survey flight of this novel tourism tour took off from the Orthopedic Trauma Institute of Military Hospital 175, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism in coordination with the hospital and Southern Helicopter Company.
A helicopter takes off from the rooftop of the Orthopedic Trauma Institute, Military Hospital 175 - Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism.
Operating this model, the Department of Tourism is responsible for connecting domestic businesses, conducting air travel tours, and promoting the product. Meanwhile, Military Hospital 175 provides helicopter landing pads and ensures passenger safety on the flights. The Southern Helicopter Company is responsible for flight schedules, flight safety, and flight regulations as stipulated by the Ministry of National Defense.
When put into operation, the product will serve two purposes: providing emergency medical care to patients and contributing to the economic recovery of tourism in Ho Chi Minh City. According to Nguyen Hong Son, Director of Military Hospital 175, the Orthopedic Trauma Institute will be developed into a multi-functional emergency center for road and air transport, moving towards an out-of-hospital emergency care model to ensure patients receive care within the "golden hour."
A survey flight departed from Military Hospital 175 to Vung Tau on the morning of April 12th - Photo: Saigon Newspaper
The first passengers to experience the tour - Photo: Vietnamnet
At the same time, the "View Ho Chi Minh City from Above" tour is a unique tourism product making its debut in Ho Chi Minh City, scheduled to begin operations on the upcoming National Reunification Day, April 30th. This product also meets the needs of domestic and international tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City, including high-end tourists and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourists.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Department of Tourism, the product is expected to include short- and medium-haul packages. Specifically, the short-haul package (flight time from 30-45 minutes) includes two routes: sightseeing over the center of Ho Chi Minh City and sightseeing over the center of Ho Chi Minh City - Can Gio. The medium-haul package (flight time approximately 60 minutes) has a flight route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Long An via the following routes: center of Ho Chi Minh City - Endless Fields Tourist Area (Long An) or Can Gio (Ho Chi Minh City) - Endless Fields Tourist Area (Long An).
The official price for the package tour has not been announced, but the helicopter takeoff fee is estimated to range from 3.65 to 9.9 million VND per person, depending on the flight duration and aircraft type. The two aircraft used to transport passengers for this special tour are the EC-155 B1 and the AW-189.
In addition to the planned routes mentioned above, the city's tourism sector plans to expand the range and scope of helicopter tourism products, both day and night, in the future.
