Northern province wants to build airport near national tourism site

Na Hang Airport would be built in two phases under the public-private partnership mode to boost economic and tourism development in Tuyen Quang, provincial authorities said in a proposal to the Ministry of Transport.

The 350-hectare airport will be situated near the Na Hang-Lam Binh Nature Reserve, a national special tourist site.

Set in a remote forest along the banks of the Gam and Nang rivers, the reserve is home to magnificent caves and a diverse ecosystem with many species of endangered flora and fauna, including the Tokin snub-nosed monkey.

Several provinces have recently sought approval for building airports to foster economic growth, including the northern province of Son La and Ninh Binh, the central province of Ha Tinh and the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The country currently has 22 civilian airports, including 10 international air hubs, with Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City and Noi Bai in Hanoi being the two biggest.