Category Archives: The Saigon Times

Sep 10
1

Qatar Airways to launch direct flights to Danang

By | The Saigon Times | No Comments

DANANG – Qatar Airways has announced plans to launch direct flights to Danang, starting December 19. The central coast city will be the third Vietnamese destination on the Doha-based airline’s rapidly expanding global network, preceded by HCMC and Hanoi.

The carrier will operate four weekly flights from Qatar to Danang using Boeing 787-8 jetliners with 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.

Commenting on the launch, Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways group chief executive, said the new direct route demonstrates the carrier’s commitment to expanding its presence in the Far East, which is a crucial market for the airline.

Its existing services to HCMC and Hanoi have recorded notable growth. Thousands of passengers experience seamless connectivity between flights every day through the modern Doha Hub at Hamad International Airport, Baker added. He expected passengers to enjoy the breathtaking coastal scenery of Danang during their trip.

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Ngo Quang Vinh, director of Danang City’s Tourism Department, remarked that the city welcomes the presence of the Middle Eastern carrier, which plays a vital role in connecting Danang with global destinations. The city expects to attract more visitors in the coming period and promises to make efforts to convert Danang into an outstanding tourist destination on the global tourism map.

Qatar Airways started direct services to HCMC in 2007 and expanded its operations to Hanoi three years later. It operates two daily direct flights to the capital city of Vietnam and 10 weekly flights to HCMC.

In October last year, the airline announced its interline partnership with local budget carrier Vietjet Air, enabling Qatar Airways’ passengers to use a single reservation code to travel to cities in Vietnam not served directly by Qatar Airways.

The newly launched route linking Danang with Qatar follows the airline’s new service to Gothenburg in Sweden. The carrier plans to launch air services to a host of other destinations throughout this year, including Gothenburg in Sweden, Tallinn in Estonia and Valletta in Malta.

Source: The Saigon Times 

Jun 27
0

International arrivals in Danang surge by 50%

By | The Saigon Times | No Comments

DANANG – Danang’s Department of Tourism on June 26 announced that in the year to date, international arrivals to the central coastal city of Danang had rocketed by some 50% year-on-year to an estimated 1.6 million out of over four million tourists to the city.

Tran Chi Cuong, deputy director of the department, said that although accurate data had yet to be gathered on international tourists to Danang in the first half of the year, South Korean visitors have accounted for half, skyrocketing by 100% year-on-year, while the number of Chinese travelers have reached 368,000, up 36% and representing 23% of the total.

In recent years, Danang has seen a large influx of South Korean and Chinese tourists, achieving substantial revenue from tourism services, Cuong said. But he voiced concerns over the rampant development of low-cost tour operations, saying it had left negative impact on the tourism environment, service quality and tourists’ rights and benefits.

“We sent a report on proposals to tighten and control low-cost tours,” Cuong told the Daily, adding that focusing on Europe and India as major source markets is a necessary solution.

Besides this, airlines, travel firms and authorities at Danang International Airport should map out a general plan to launch air routes to new source markets, Cuong stressed.

Danang is currently home to nine airlines operating 170 weekly flights in total from Danang City to the South Korean destinations of Seoul, Busan, Incheon and Daegu, as well as direct air services from Danang City to China, Thailand and Malaysia.

Statistics show that in the first six months of 2018, the number of tourists traveling by air to Danang surged by over 40% against the year-ago period to an estimated one million. The city welcomed 62 cruise ships docking at Tien Sa port, with some 65,000 guests, up 23% year-on-year.

Danang has 3,650 tour guides, including 1,210 local guides and 2,240 international ones, 320 travel firms and 720 lodging facilities with 31,531 guest rooms, up 103 facilities with 7,522 guest rooms year-on-year.

Source: The Saigon Time