Da Nang (VNS/VNA) - Da Nang will build a new terminal, T3, at itsinternational airport with total investment of 9 trillion VND (391 million USD),increasing the airport’s capacity to 28 million passengers and 200,000 tonnesof cargo by 2030.

Deputy General Director of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), Le XuanTung told Viet Nam News the new terminal was designed to handle 18 milliontourists per year and 100,000 tonnes cargo.

The T3 terminal alongside two already existing ones – T1 and T2 – will help Vietnam’sthird largest airport ease congestion in the near future, while promotingconnections in trade, investment and tourism in key central economic zonesamong Hue-Da Nang-Quang Nam and Quang Ngai.

Tung said the ACV has urged the ministries of transport and finance andrelevant agencies to complete the final procedures for the project.

Tung said Da Nang International Airport is a key destination for thedevelopment of trade, investment and tourism in the central and CentralHighlands region.

“The airport hosts 23 flights each day and grows 30 percent annually.Meanwhile, the development of airlines including VietJet Air, Jetstar Pacificand Bamboo Airways and tourism property in the city has strongly lured foreigninvestment in recent years,” Tung said.

“We have asked the Ministry of Transport to approve the detailed plan forconstruction of a new terminal project.”

In 2017, the city launched the T2 terminal to serve the Asia-Pacific EconomicCo-operation (APEC) summit, with a design capacity of 13 million passengers peryear from 2020, but it already became overloaded with 13.3 million passengersin 2018.

The airport authorities and Chiang Mai International Airport have beenpromoting more direct flights connecting destinations in Thailand and worldheritage sites in central Vietnam including Son Doong Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang NationalPark in Quang Binh; UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites; Hoi An ancient townand My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam.

The city’s airport is now the third largest airport in Vietnam, after Noi Bai InternationalAirport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat in the southern economic hub of HCM City. Itis an important gateway to the central and Central Highlands region and theEast-West Economic Corridors connecting Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. –VNS/VNA