Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province celebrated the opening of a trio of landmark infrastructure projects as it gears up to take advantage of rapidly growing visitor arrivals.
Following two years of construction, Van Don International Airport opened, which will serve as a gateway for the UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay.
Van Don is the first airport in Vietnam developed privately at a cost of about US$310 million.
"It is the most modern airport in Vietnam. It will have positive influences on the passengers’ experience here in the airport," said project manager and architect Romy Berntsen.
Airport management is targeting 2 to 2.5 million passengers annually for the first two years of operation and up to five million per year by 2030.
The Halong International Cruise Port was also unveiled which is the country’s first dedicated port for international cruise ships.
The port terminal was designed by famed hospitality architect Bill Bensley.
The cruise port can accommodate two large cruise ships simultaneously and more than 8,000 passengers.
The Halong-Van Don Highway was a third major project unveiled which will cut down travel time from the airport to Ha Long City to 50 minutes.
The new projects will be on show to more than 1,500 travel industry leaders and media as Ha Long hosts the Asean Travel Forum 2019 in mid-January.
ATF has 75 official sessions scheduled with ministerial, NTO, official meeting delegates, TRAVEX suppliers and international buyers.
It is the premier annual travel industry event for the ASEAN region.
It will help ‘drive connectivity and sustainable tourism’ to Vietnam and the Quang Ninh region,’ said minister of culture, sports and tourism, H.E. Nguyen Ngoc Thien.
ATF TRAVEX 2019 takes place from 16-18 January, 2019.
