Solutions for the Vinh - Bangkok route during the 'off-peak season'.

(Baonghean) - Following the initial positive signs of the Vinh - Bangkok international flight route, the challenge is how to sustainably maintain and gradually stabilize the route. Strengthening publicity and promotion of the route, along with greater connections with international travel agencies, are the main solutions that Nghe An province has considered to promote the development of this flight route.

Modern Bangkok, with its many high-rise buildings, always attracts tourists.

A successful start.

Officially launched on June 8, 2016, the Vinh - Bangkok direct flight route, a collaboration between the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and the Vietnam Tourism and Transport Marketing Corporation (Vietravel), has operated 7 flights at 100% capacity over the past three months, carrying more than 1,200 passengers. Notably, in August, 60 Thai businesspeople and tourists visited Nghe An via the Bangkok - Vinh direct flight.

Overall, this flight route offers passengers easier, more convenient, and time-saving travel compared to going to Hanoi or connecting in Saigon to fly to Thailand. At nearly 7 million VND, the 5-day, 4-night Vinh - Bangkok - Pattaya itinerary is considered reasonable, allowing tourists to enjoy interesting and attractive destinations with professional and impressive services in Thailand, fulfilling the needs of travelers wanting to explore the Land of the Golden Pagodas.

To achieve these successful first flights, it is impossible not to mention the efforts and endeavors of the relevant units such as the Department of Transport, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, other related units, and Vietravel - a company with extensive experience in organizing tours to Thailand.

Particularly noteworthy is the positive contribution of media outlets such as Nghe An Newspaper and Nghe An Radio and Television Station in helping tourists better understand and feel more secure when choosing the Vinh - Bangkok - Pattaya tour. Despite its shortcomings in infrastructure, Vinh International Airport has made efforts to coordinate with forces such as customs, health, and police in the immigration and customs procedures for passengers, in response to the strict requirements for ensuring aviation security.

Difficulties that need to be overcome.

Despite initial positive signs, the implementation of these flights is also revealing some limitations. These include low flight frequency during June, July, and August 2016, and irregular flight schedules; the international passenger terminal at Vinh International Airport is small, leading to overcrowding when operating the Vinh-Bangkok route with an A320 aircraft carrying 180 passengers, sometimes failing to meet demand and affecting service quality and security.

Passengers departing from Vinh Airport to Bangkok. Photo: Hoang Vinh

According to Mr. Nguyen Ba Hao, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Communications, the incomplete infrastructure at the terminal has somewhat affected tourists' impressions of the flight route. Therefore, while awaiting investment and new construction, the old international terminal needs to be renovated and upgraded to better serve passengers. Relevant departments are also coordinating to expedite procedures and create favorable conditions for passengers.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, connecting tourists from Thailand to Nghe An has not been a priority for travel companies because Nghe An lacks attractive and highly competitive tourism products. Most tourists consider Nghe An merely a stopover point for visiting other provinces such as Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Quang Binh, and Hanoi.

Meanwhile, travel businesses in the province are still weak, small-scale, and lack cooperation, resulting in ineffective coordination and support for flight route development. It is time for Vietravel to consider strengthening its workforce at the Vinh branch or opening branches in Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh to target customers from these two localities.

Many also argue that Nghe An remains a province with a seasonal tourism development model, meaning that after the peak season in summer, the number of visitors is expected to decrease. Furthermore, the market for air travel mainly consists of provinces in the North Central region, where people still face many difficulties in their lives, and their travel habits and needs are not yet strong. Individual travelers only account for a small percentage, making it even more challenging to operate air routes after holidays.

Develop and create stable flight routes.

Maintaining and developing the flight route in the future, especially during the "off-peak season," was a key issue discussed by provincial leaders and representatives from relevant departments and units. According to Ms. Vo Thi Thu Hoai, Head Representative of Vietravel's Vinh branch, over the next four months (September, October, November, and December 2016), Vietravel will strive to maintain the Vinh-Bangkok route using charter aircraft to support the development of tourism in the North Central region. To achieve this success, Vietravel will continue to receive support from the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies in terms of publicity, promotion, and financial assistance for organizing flights.

Delicious fruits and a rich, diverse cuisine are hallmarks of tourism in Thailand. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Affirming that the Vinh-Bangkok flight route is extremely important, creating conditions for tourism development, promoting trade, investment cooperation, and making a significant contribution to the development of the province and the region, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong directed that the flight route must be further developed; considering this as a prerequisite for Nghe An to continue opening international flight routes Vinh-Singapore, Vinh-Japan, and striving to successfully build an international terminal at Vinh International Airport in accordance with the directives of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his visit and working trip to Nghe An on August 15th.

Accordingly, the most important solutions emphasized by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee are to strengthen the Steering Committee for supporting the development of the Vinh - Bangkok flight route. Relevant departments and agencies need to coordinate more closely to promote and publicize the route. In particular, it is necessary to collaborate with the neighboring provinces of Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh to develop a strategy for promoting tourist destinations in Nghe An province and other provinces in the North Central region through mass media channels in Thailand, as well as disseminating information about the flight route to the people of these two provinces.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism needs to quickly connect with relevant units in Ha Tinh and Thanh Hoa provinces to develop tourism products, especially to advise on organizing a tourism promotion conference in Thailand in the third quarter of 2016. To ensure sustainability, it is necessary to connect with many other international travel agencies to help Vietravel tap into potential customers. The Department of Transport should actively urge the early investment, upgrading, and renovation of the old international terminal to facilitate immigration procedures for passengers.

Thailand is famous for its many unique temples. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Nghe An province has always considered Thailand a leading partner, and to date, the province has five projects from Thai businesses, with a total investment of 32.1 million USD in the fields of food processing, stone quarrying, etc. Notably, the province recently welcomed the investment project for the construction and operation of industrial park infrastructure by Hemaraj Industrial and Urban Development Company in the Southeast Economic Zone.

According to the agreement, the project will invest in an area of ​​approximately 3,200 hectares, from 2017 to 2028. Hemaraj is a leading Thai enterprise in the fields of industrial park infrastructure, urban development, and power generation, so its presence in Nghe An also means attracting more Thai businesses to the province.

For the reasons mentioned above, to facilitate investment attraction and tourism development, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested that Vietravel continue to maintain 1-2 flights per month on the Vinh - Bangkok route during the "off-peak season" and 4-5 flights per month during the peak season, considering this as a factor to promote both tourism development in Nghe An and strengthen investment cooperation with Thailand.

An Nhan