Many airlines and travel agencies are promoting the opening of new routes to Van Don Airport.

The conference included Famtrip activities and workshops. The Famtrip program was for airlines, airline associations, travel agencies, and management agencies to experience, learn about, and survey tourist destinations in Ha Long and the infrastructure of Van Don Airport. Over nearly two days (February 28th – March 1st), the delegation visited the World Natural Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, experienced the Sun World Halong Complex entertainment complex, and surveyed the Ha Long International Cruise Port and Van Don Airport.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Mr. Nguyen Duc Long, Chairman of the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, affirmed: "The province has also issued many preferential policies for airlines opening routes to Quang Ninh, such as free transportation from Van Don International Airport to Ha Long and many other localities in the province; free entrance tickets to Ha Long Bay and the Yen Tu historical and scenic site for all tourists arriving in Vietnam via Van Don airport. We support businesses in implementing investment projects in the province to create a chain of aviation - tourism - service products..."

Also within the framework of this event, representatives of the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority committed to creating the most favorable conditions for granting operating licenses to Quang Ninh for airlines, and to coordinating with the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to develop long-term plans for the development of international flight routes.

After nearly two months of operation, Van Don Airport has welcomed over 15,000 passengers, with the three largest airlines in Vietnam operating there: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Bamboo Airways. The airport operates approximately 30 flights per week, with a flight occupancy rate of nearly 70%. Several new airlines have announced plans to open routes to Van Don, including DongHai Airlines (China) and Bangkok Airways (Thailand). Regarding domestic airlines, Vietnam Airlines stated it is studying the possibility of opening a direct flight between Van Don and South Korea with HaNa Tour (Korea), while VietJet Air has conducted surveys to promote the opening of a Taiwan-Van Don route. The main driving force behind airlines opening routes to Van Don Airport is the tourism potential of Quang Ninh province, and especially Ha Long city.

Prior to Van Don, there were several airport projects involving private investors, but Van Don will be the first airport directly invested in, operated, and managed by a private investor, Sun Group, a significant difference from the other 21 airports under the management of the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV).

According to an aviation industry leader, while state investment resources are limited, airport privatization is an effective solution, especially since introducing a private management model can overcome the shortcomings in service quality at some airports today. Around the world, airport privatization has seen many successful models, such as in the UK and Australia.

The opening of air routes at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh will create new impetus for development, contributing to enhancing national competitiveness, which is a common desire of the locality, businesses, and people.

This conference provided an opportunity for networking, helping domestic and international travel agencies and airlines find common ground in opening new and attractive routes and tours from Van Don Airport. Furthermore, it was an opportunity for all parties to jointly develop Quang Ninh's tourism potential through strategic cooperation agreements with significant economic value.

Within the framework of the Conference, preliminary agreements were signed between Quang Ninh province and Van Don International Airport, as well as between airlines and major travel agencies expanding their market in Quang Ninh. Specifically, a memorandum of understanding was signed regarding commitments from Van Don International Airport to its customers (airlines, travel agencies), and a contract was signed between Van Don International Airport and DHT.

Van Don International Airport:

This is a Category 4E airport (according to ICAO standards), a Category II military airport. Van Don International Airport can accommodate large aircraft such as Boeing 787, 777, and Airbus A350, A320. The terminal's capacity in phase 1 reaches 2.5 million passengers per year; the cargo handling area has a capacity of 10,000 tons per year.

Van Don is a tourism area with great potential in Quang Ninh province. It has also been selected as the location for a new special economic zone model and is currently undergoing the approval process for the establishment of a Special Economic Zone Chief, without a People's Council meeting. This area has received many approved preferential mechanisms and is one of only three special economic zones nationwide.

Nga Nguyen