A plane of Russian airline Transaero lands at Cam Ranh Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa on Saturday. It was the first flight on the new direct air route connecting Domodedovo in Moscow with the province. — VNA/VNS Photo Tien Minh

KIEN GIANG (Biz Hub) — The first flight linking Viet Nam's Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang to Singapore took off from Phu Quoc International Airport yesterday.

Vietnam Airlines will operate flights twice a week using A321 airplanes and will adjust the number of flights depending on market demand and operational effectiveness.

This is the second international air route to Phu Quoc after a route between the island and Russia was launched in February. The third international air route, to be launched in mid-December, will link Phu Quoc and Cambodia's Siem Reap.

Phu Quoc International Airport opened at the end of 2012 and received nearly 700,000 passengers in 2013. Around 37 percent were international tourists. The airport expects to welcome one million passengers this year.

Tourism infrastructure is also growing. Five-star tourism complex Vinpearl Phu Quoc, the biggest tourism project in Kien Giang province, opened on November 1. Built by real estate firm Vingroup, the complex covers more than 300ha and includes a hotel and villa area with 750 rooms, an entertainment centre and a 27-hole golf course.

Also on Saturday, Russian airline Transaero launched a direct air route connecting Domodedovo in Moscow with Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa to serve the growing number of Russian tourists. The 10.5-hour flight will take off every 10 days. — VNS