Expectations from international flying routes

In 2024, Khanh Hoa receives more than 4.7 million international visitors, an increase of 98.8% over 2023. The growth is partly thanks to airlines continuously expanding their international flying routes connecting Korea, China, Thailand, Kazakhstan... with Khanh Hoa. The stability and development of the international flight network is expected to push up Khanh Hoa tourism in the future.

On December 23, Qingdao Airlines (China) reopened flights from Chengdu (Sichuan, China) to Cam Ranh. On the first flight, Qingdao Airlines brought 177 passengers to travel to Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa. Qingdao Airlines as well as other Chinese airlines such as China Southern Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Donghai Airlines... have been operating flights from Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hangzhou..., which facilitates tourists to travel between China and Khanh Hoa. In addition, the tourists from Korea, Kazakhstan, and Thailand to Khanh Hoa are increasing  thanks to the recovery and development of new flying routes.

Foreign tourists to Khanh Hoa

According Cam Ranh International Terminal Joint Stock Company, currently, there are 38 international flights to Cam Ranh every day, an increase of 4 flights/day compared to November 2024. Korea - Khanh Hoa route alone has 12 airlines operating 22 flights/day from major cities such as Seoul, Busan, Daegu,... to Cam Ranh. The international flights from China to Khanh Hoa have also been gradually restored with the participation of 8 airlines with 13 flights/day.

Besides, flights from Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Malaysia have also increased recently. Most recently, Vietjet Airlines has started operating the Mongolia - Cam Ranh route with a frequency of 1 flight/week. Khanh Hoa's international flights will continue to expand as from January 28, 2025, SkyUP MT Airlines will operate flights from Warsaw (Poland) to Cam Ranh; and some Taiwanese (Chinese) airlines are planning to operate flights to Khanh Hoa.

According to Pham Minh Nhut - Standing Vice Chairman of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, the international flights has contributed to facilitate Khanh Hoa tourism to attract international visitors in recent times. The boom of the Korean tourist market is thanks to many flights between major Korean cities and Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa. Korean visitors are exempted from visas, and flight time is only about 4 hours; so, traveling in Nha Trang is very convenient.

Korean visitors are exempted from visas, flights are crowded, flight time is only about 4 hours, so traveling in Nha Trang is very convenient. Similarly, Mr. Lee Chang Kun - Vietnam Tourism Ambassador to Korea said: "Recently, Hanatour - Korea's largest travel company announced that statistics show that currently, every 4 Koreans traveling abroad, one chooses Vietnam, and the most popular destination is Nha Trang. Korean tourists like to come to Nha Trang because of cheap travel prices, friendly people and convenient flight routes...".

With good growth momentum and the expansion of the flight network, the province's tourism industry has set a target of welcoming 11.8 million tourists, including 5.2 million international visitors in 2025. "To attract international visitors, in addition to facilitating entry procedures and opening flight routes is very important. In 2025, Khanh Hoa tourism industry will continue to coordinate with aviation management agencies (Cam Ranh International Airport, Cam Ranh International Terminal Joint Stock Company) and airlines to restore international routes flights from China, Russia, Southeast Asian countries to Khanh Hoa. At the same time, we will make efforts to open new flight routes from potential markets such as Japan, Australia, India... to diversify and balance the province's international tourist market", Nguyen Thi Le Thanh - Director of the Department of Tourism expressed.

With sponsorship from Vingroup, Gratiya Company (from Dubai, UAE) is consulting on the development of a strategic action plan for Khanh Hoa tourism development in the period 2025 - 2030, with a vision to 2045 to make Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa become the leading destination of Southeast Asia. One of the solutions proposed by the company is to expand the international flight network, including connecting and opening flights from Dubai to Cam Ranh to attract high-spending international visitors.

Tourism and aviation have always had a close relationship. Hopefully, with the international flight network restored and expanded, Khanh Hoa tourism will continue to rise highly in the near future.

Xuan Thanh

Translated by T.T