Hanoi (VNA) – The number of fo𒅌reign holiday-makers to Vietnam is predicted to increase sharply in the coming time, close to the figure recorded in the pre-COVID-19 period thanks to the resumption of regular international flights and tourism activities.

Flights to 19 countries, territories resumed

Statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) show that as of February 15, Vietnam resumed regular passenger flights to Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), China, and Taipei (China), Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Australia, Germany, Russia, France, the UK, the US, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, Turkey, Qatar, and UAE. For mainland China, airlines operate flights carrying passengers from China to Vietnam, while the number of return flights is limited due to China’s COVID-19 prevention and control policy. Vietnam’s airlines operating regular international routes include Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, and Pacific Airlines. Meanwhile, there are 24 foreign airlines operating regular routes connecting to Vietnam, including those of Japan, the RoK, Taiwan (China), mailand China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong (China), Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, and France. Before the reopening of regular international flights, the monthly average number of international passengers to and from Vietnam was about 40,000-50,000. Since the pilot reopening of international routes from January 2022, the number of international visitors to and from Vietnam has increased to more than 103,000 in January 2022, and to 153,000 as of February 14, 2022. Since January 1, Vietnam Airlines has resumed 24 air routes to 15 countries and territories. From February 17, the firm has re-operated its route between Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia with two flights a week. At the same time, the national flag carrier has increased the number of flights to European destinations such as Frankfurt (Germany), Moscow (Russia), and Sydney (Australia), to serve the increasing travel demand. Bamboo Airways has also deployed a plan to resume regular routes to Northeast Asian countries such as Taiwan (China), Japan, and the RoK from January 2022. For other markets, Bamboo Airways will officially operate regular routes: Ho Chi Minh City-Melbourne (Australia) from February 19; Hanoi-Frankfurt (Germany) from February 25; Hanoi-London (the UK) from March 22; and HCM City-Bangkok (Thailand) from March 17. The airline is also working to complete preparations for the resumption of flights to Laos, Cambodia, and especially the US, in the coming time.

Aviation restoration helps speed up tourism recovery

Vietnam’s reopening air routes with no limit of the number of regular international flights to all markets is a favourable premise for airlines to restore international tourism activities in the time to come. Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will increase the total number of flights across its international network to at least 95 per week from April, and to at least 164 per week from July. With this plan, the international flight network of Vietnam Airlines will be fully restored as it was before the COVID-19 outbreak, the firm said. Vietnam Airlines planned to add more flights in the near future to serve the country’s re-opening policy. The tourism market is expected to recover quickly as soon as the Government decides to officially resume tourism activities from March 15, 2022. The firm will join hands with professional tour operators to provide tourism services for Vietnamese holiday-makers to visit countries that have lifted restrictions on COVID-19 prevention and control, and visa-free countries. According to Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietravel Holdings, aviation plays a prerequisite role in re-opening international tourism as tourists traveling by air account for a large proportion, especially visitors. The removal of frequency restrictions on regular international flights to all markets from February 15, and the opening to tourists from March 15 have created a premise for restoring international tourism activities, Ky said./.