The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho will open more direct domestic and international routes, targeting promising markets in Southeast and Northeast Asia.
The information was revealed by Le Tien Dung, Deputy Director of the Can Tho
Department of Transport, at a working session between the municipal People’s
Committee and the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on July 12.
Accordingly, routes connecting Can Tho and the northern port city of Hai Phong,
Vinh city in central Nghe An province, Cam Ranh city in central Khanh Hoa city,
Hue city in central Thua Thien-Hue province and Da Lat city in the Central
Highlands province of Lam Dong will be launched in the coming time.
At the same time, Can Tho will consider opening routes to the Republic of
Korea, Japan and Singapore, aiming to attract more investments from these
countries in the city and the Mekong Delta as well.
Air routes from Can Tho to Taiwan and other foreign destinations are also
expected to be opened in the future.
According to Dung, there is a high demand for aviation transport from Can Tho
International Airport to other Vietnamese cities and provinces and foreign
countries as the city is the centre of the Mekong Delta.
The new air routes are expected to help ease the overload of Tan Son Nhat
International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, while reducing travel cost and time,
he added.
Speaking at the working session, Vo Huy Cuong, CAAV deputy head, pointed to the
need to cut ticket prices of domestic flights from Can Tho, which , he said,
still remain high.
The CAA also pledged to create favourable conditions for Can Tho to launch the
new routes.
Le Thanh Phong, Chairman of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, called for
joint efforts of the entire region to help Can Tho successfully conduct air
routes.
The municipal People’s Committee vowed to facilitate the operation of airlines
in Can Tho International Airport.
The Mekong Delta welcomed more than 28 million visitors in 2016 and over 20
million in the first half of this year. The number is expected to sharply
increase in the time ahead.-
