National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on December 7 officially launched a direct air route between Ho Chi Minh City and Perth city of Australia.

The route now operates three two-way flights per week, using modern wide-body aircraft Boeing 787.

Nguyen Huu Tung, head representative of Vietnam Airlines in Australia, said the opening of the new route is part of Vietnam Airlines’ long-term strategy to expand its flight network to Australia in 2020 – 2025.

With the new route, it aims to introduce destinations and the hidden beauty of Vietnam to customers of the Western state of Australia, thus stipulating tourism demand of Vietnamese and Australian visitors, he said.

He expressed the hope that the new air route will serve as a catalyst for promoting investment cooperation activities between the two countries.

Vietnam Airlines will increase the frequency to five flights per week in 2024, Tung said, adding that the firm has planned to open one more route connecting Perth and Hanoi. He showed his optimism about
the prospect of operating five or seven flights per week between Perth and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Rebecca Ball, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner of Australia in Vietnam, said this event marks a significant milestone as the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties, adding that the new route contributes to facilitating travel of people of both nations.

She noted with her pleasure that the Australian government is closely collaborating with the Vietnamese government in general, as well as with Vietnam’s tourism management agencies in particular to increase the number of travelers to each country.

According to Ball, the number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Australia is expected to increase to approximately 270,000 by 2028./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency