Budget carrier Jetstar Pacific has become the third airline to offer regular direct flights between Hong Kong and Da Nang.

The airline said the flight was aimed to boost tourism and business travel between Da Nang and Hong Kong and added that it’s the third flight connecting Da Nang and Hong Kong after Da Nang-Taiwan and Da Nang-Singapore air routes were launched in 2016.

As scheduled, Jetstar Pacific, a member of the Jetstar Group, will operate three return flights a week on Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, using 180-seat Airbus A320s with a travel time of one hour and 45 minutes.

To inaugurate the new route, Jetstar Pacific has offered a promotion programme for the Da Nang-Hong Kong flight, with one-way ticket prices of VND290,000 (US$12.7) for bookings every day.

Deputy director of the central city’s tourism department, Truong Thi Hong Hanh said the route will increase tourism demand in 2017, when Da Nang will host series events such a the 2017 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Summit, VNG Ironman 70.3 Viet Nam, Da Nang International Marathon and the International Fireworks Festival.

Hanh said the city expects to host 6.3 million tourists--of which 2.3 million will be foreigners--this year.

According to the latest report, 1.3 million tourists visited the city in the first quarter this year, a 29.4 per cent increase over the same period last year.

The city’s tourism and service sector earned VND3.9 trillion (US$173 million), a 31.2 per cent increase.

In 2015, Cathay Dragon launched an air route from Hong Kong to Da Nang with seven flights a week, while Hong Kong Express operates three fights per week.

Da Nang currently hosts 20 international flights routes.

As planned, the city will put into operation of a new terminal – beside the old one – at Da Nang International Airport from next month, increasing capacity of hosting 12 million tourists by airway each year. — VNS