A ceremony to welcome first international flights to Da Nang after two years of disruption due to COVID-19 with the message of ‘Welcome the world back’ took place in the city on Sunday.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Tran Phuoc Son (third, left) and delegates pressing buttons symbolising the airplane cockpit. Photo: THU HA.

The event was jointly organised by the Da Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation Joint Stock Company (AHT), the municipal Department of Tourism, Da Nang International Airport, and the Singapore Airlines.

In his remarks at the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Tran Phuoc Son said, over recent years, Da Nang's tourism industry has recorded impressive growth with the annual growth rate of 22% on an average in terms of international visitor numbers.

He said proudly that Da Nang boasted a spacious, synchronous and modern infrastructure system with a large international seaport and an airport, and a favourable geographic position of being a gateway to the UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites in the central region of Hue Citadel in Thua Thien Hue Province, and Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam Province.

Moreover, recent years have seen a boom in high-class resorts and international-scale cultural and sports festivals, which has drawn much attention from domestic and foreign tourists and helped Da Nang rise to fame as one of the most attractive destinations on the domestic and international tourism map.

Vice Chairman Son highlighted the significance of the much-awaited event in marking the resumption of international flights and an important milestone for the city's tourism industry in tempting international visitors back.

The Da Nang government leader highly praised the great efforts made by the Da Nang International Airport, AHT, and relevant units, in preparatory works for the reopening of first international flights in two years.

The reopening of international routes will be followed by the resumption of international flights that have been operated since 2019.

Da Nang will make every effort to ensure the success of the Routes Asia 2022 in June, the most prestigious aviation event in the Asia-Pacific region.

Besides, a host of fascinating international-scale cultural, sports and tourism events, along with other attractive activities, will be organised in the city.

Visitors on the first international flight to Da Nang were given welcome flowers and gifts. Photo: THU HA

At noon on the same day, the Da Nang Department of Tourism held a ceremony to welcome two international commercial flights from Singapore and Thailand, its first in two years.

In particular, Singapore Airlines-operated flight SQ172 from Singapore, carrying nearly 160 air passengers, landed at Da Nang International Airport at 11:05 am, resuming the Singapore - Da Nang regular route with a frequency of 7 flights/week.

At 12:30 on the same day, about 150 air passengers from Bangkok, Thailand, arrived in Da Nang on flight VZ960 operated by Thai Vietjet Air.

The Thai carrier operates flights between Bangkok and Da Nang with the frequency of 3 flights a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.  

Leaders of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, AHT, Da Nang International Airport, Singapore Airlines and Vietjet Air attended the welcome ceremonies and presented flowers and gifts to the first international guests on the two aforementioned flights to Da Nang right at the airport, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere here.

Vietjet Group’s Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh emphasised the resumption of the Bangkok - Da Nang route, and other routes in the near future, showed strong the determination of leaders of the city and Vietjet Air to restore tourism activities and foster trade linkages between Viet Nam and Thailand in particular, and Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific regions in general.

Being one of the air passengers present on the first international flight to Da Nang this time, Janai Stephent , an American native, said she was very impressed with the warm and enthusiastic welcome by the city at Da Nang International Airport. She felt very happy when coming to Da Nang, and hoped that that she would have a great time during her stay in the city”.

In the time to come, the Da Nang Department of Tourism plans to coordinate with the Thai Vietjet to welcome a delegation of more than 50 representatives from media and travel agencies from Thailand to survey tourism products in the city and promote the exchange activities of two tourist markets.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by M.DUNG