Quang Ninh wants to open more direct flights to Southeast Asia, South Korea

There should be direct flights connecting Van Don Airport near Ha Long Town with Gangwon in South Korea, Tuv province in Mongolia, Sarawak in Malaysia and Cebu in the Philippines to boost tourism potential, Nguyen Tuong Van, chairman of Quang Ninh, told the East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum held in Ha Long.

Quang Ninh authorities hoped to open direct air routes with Luang Prabang in Laos and Siem Riep in Cambodia that are home to world heritage sites, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Representatives from Laos and Cambodia backed the proposal, saying the opening of these direct flights would help attract tourists from the U.S. and Europe.

East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum was founded in Gangwon Province in South Korea in 2000 with an aim to boost the travel industry.

Currently, EATOF has 12 member provinces including Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province.

Van Don, inaugurated in December 2018, is 50 km from Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognized world heritage site.

The heritage bay has found a spot on the global tourism map, with travel bloggers and filmmakers hailing its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone pillars topped by rainforests.