The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines (VNA), and the central city of Da Nang inked an agreement on co-operation in promotion of tourism, investment and trade in the period 2018-22 at a ceremony yesterday.

The agreement aims to boost Da Nang’s tourism brand worldwide via VNA’s international flights from the city, and jointly organise cultural and tourism events with an aim of connecting destinations in central Viet Nam with those around the world as well as attracting more tourists.

Deputy general director of VNA, Trinh Ngoc Thanh said the two sides had been in a strategic partnership for a long time, and this year would mark a new period of better co-operation.

Thanh said Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietnam Air Service Company (VASCO) would be three major brands that help promote Da Nang’s tourism brand in the global market.

He said VNA planned to open more international flights from Da Nang in the future, and it would make a priority of launching direct flights between Da Nang and Japan.

According to the city’s tourism department, Da Nang hosted 6.6 million tourists, of which 2.3 million were foreigners, in 2017, a 20 per cent growth in comparison to 2016. There were 1.6 million tourists visiting the city by air routes.

Da Nang has 28 international air routes, and Vietnam Airlines is operating 10 direct international and domestic air routes with a total of 400 flights per week.

Last year, the city debuted it new terminal, T2, with a capacity of hosting 6 million arrivals each year.

In 2014, VNA introduced its new direct flight between Da Nang and Tokyo’s Narita Airport, while Jetstar Pacific launched a direct air route Da Nang-Osaka last year.

Da Nang is a centre for world heritage sites such as Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary and Cham Island in Quang Nam; the Phong Nha-Ke Bang Cave systems in Quang Binh; and the Hue monuments complex. — VNS