Mongolia to launch direct HCMC flights

By Bich Phuong April 8, 2024 | 04:53 pm PT

Vice President Mongolia Tourism Association Munkhnasan Oldokh speaks at the Mongolia tourism roadshow on April 5, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Bich Phuong

Mongolia plans to launch direct flights from its capital Ulaanbaatar to Ho Chi Minh City in November, following its visa exemption policy for Vietnamese issued in March.

At the Mongolia tourism roadshow in early April, Vice President Mongolia Tourism Association Munkhnasan Oldokh said the direct HCMC-Ulaanbaatar route decreases the length and time of travel between the two countries by skipping transit in Korea or Hong Kong.

Mr. Erdene Ochir Bat Unen, marketing representative of Miat Mongolian Airlines, said specific plans would be announced in September.

Travel agencies predicted that the direct flight would popularize Mongolian tourist routes.

Mongolia is known for its colorful culture, but attracts less tourists due to its lack of flights and high costs, said Marketing Director of Viet Media Travel Corporation Pham Anh Vu.

According to the Mongolia Tourism Association report, Mongolia welcomed 2,300 Vietnamese visitors in 2023, a figure it aims to increase in 2024.

Vietnamese visitors traveling to Mongolia for stays of up to 30 days no longer require a visa starting from March 7, according to a policy effective until the end of 2025.

Previously, Vietnamese visitors to Mongolia were required to obtain either a regular visa, with a processing time of five to seven working days, or an e-visa, processed within three days, costing $25, plus additional charges.