Da Nang-India direct flights begin, China next in line

By Hoang Vu October 23, 2024 | 10:50 pm PT

A fireworks performance during the final night of Da Nang International Fireworks Festival on July 13, 2024. Photo by Cuong Art

Authorities in Da Nang have announced the launch of new direct flights to India and China, the world's most populous countries, to meet the growing tourism demand.

On Wednesday Vietjet began flying from the central Vietnamese city to Ahmedabad in India's Gujarat state, and will operate two round trips a week using Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said in a statement.

Da Nang, known for its long sandy beaches and ancient pagodas, has become a popular destination for Indian tourists, while many major Indian companies investing in Vietnam are based in Ahmedabad.

In the first nine months of this year Da Nang received 151,000 Indian tourists, a 25% increase year-on-year and accounting for 43% of all Indian visitors to Vietnam.

The city has also become a preferred wedding destination for affluent Indian families.

Da Nang also plans to begin direct services to China's Chengdu, Hangzhou and Guangzhou cities next year.

Mainland China remains one of the city's top five sources of international visitors, alongside South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and India.

This year it expects to receive 10.3 million tourists, including 4.2 million from abroad, easily higher than the previous record of 8.7 million in 2019, according to the city's Department of Tourism.