VietNamNet Bridge – New air services linking the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and other parts of the nation have helped send visitors to the region surging, heard a media briefing in Can Tho last week.

Foreign tourists stop by a calligraphy booth at a Tet fair in Can Tho City – Photo: Huynh Kim

A new air route has been recently launched to connect Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta and Nha Trang City on the central coast in a bid to promote tourism.

Truong Van Vinh, director of Vietravel’s branch in the Mekong Delta region, said passengers have fully booked Can Tho-Nha Trang flights during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday (Tet), which begins on February 8. Tet flights between Can Tho and the Central Highlands resort town of Dalat are also full.

Vietravel has joined hands with Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO) and Vietjet to launch new air services linking Can Tho and Danang, Dalat and Nha Trang cities. Can Tho-Bangkok service will be kicked off after a test period.

Vietravel plans to coordinate with airlines to transport more guests to the region if regular flights are operated.

Can Tho-Nha Trang service, which uses ATR-72 turboprop aircraft, is available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It takes one hour to fly between the two cities, compared to 14 hours by road.

A one-way Can Tho-Nha Trang ticket costs VND399,000 per person while the price of a package tour, inclusive of air travel, is some VND3.2 million per guest.

Vinh said from the two major cities, Vietravel arranges tours to other destinations like Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot, Ninh Chu, Tuy Hoa, My Tho, Ben Tre, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Chau Doc, Rach Gia and Ha Tien.

Le Thanh Phong, vice chairman of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, said that with new air routes operational, visitors to the region jumped 18% last year versus 2014 to 7.7 million, including 800,000 foreigners.

Revenue of the tourism industry last year shot up 49% year-on-year to VND8.6 trillion (US$382.2 million). In addition, around 25 million travelers made one-day visits to the Mekong Delta.

Phong said if air services are maintained this year, the number of tourists in the region will rise by 8% to 8.3 million, including 900,000 international travelers, and tourism revenue will total VND9.5 trillion.

Phong added the association will focus on developing products in the region such as eco-fruit gardens in Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh and Can Tho; coastal areas in Ca Mau, Kien Giang and Dong Thap; beaches and islands on Phu Quoc Island off mainland Kien Giang and pilgrimage  in An Giang.

Nguyen Hoang On, director of the Can Tho tourism development center, said the city will cement cooperation with others of the Mekong Delta and the country to make Can Tho a transit point for tourists.

He said Can Tho International Airport now has six domestic air routes connecting to Hanoi, Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Danang, Dalat and Nha Trang as well as two international routes to Taiwan and Thailand.

He said Can Tho welcomed over 1.6 million travelers last year, including 207,000 foreigners, up 18% from a year earlier, and its tourism revenue surpassed VND1.7 trillion, up 49%.

On said the city would invest more in MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) and urban river tours to serve around 1.7 million tourists and earn VND1.8 trillion this year.

Luyen Manh Cuong, director of the tourism promotion center in Khanh Hoa Province, said European travelers like Mekong Delta tours. Therefore, the two localities should join forces to promote products to woo tourists from Europe.

Huynh Kim

SGT