The flights between Phu Quoc and Singapore will begin from November 2.— Photo dulichdaophuquoc

HA NOI (Biz Hub) – National carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) on September 24 announced that it will launch direct flights from Phu Quoc island to Singapore and Siem Reap, Cambodia, later this year.

VNA announced this at the opening ceremony of the trade promotion and co-operation programme that it jointly launched with the Vinpearl Joint Stock Company in HCM City.

The flights between Phu Quoc, in the southern province of Kien Giang, and Singapore will begin from November 2 with two weekly flights by the Airbus A321. The flights between Phu Quoc and Siem Reap will begin from December 18 with three weekly flights by the ATR-72 aircraft.

These are the first international flights from Phu Quoc being operated by VNA, which will bring important projects to the Phu Quoc development programme, helping the island to become a major economic zone in the future.

Deputy General Director of VNA Trinh Ngoc Thanh said the airline will continue to plan more international flights from Phu Quoc to other destinations in Southeast Asia, contributing to the programme "Five nations– One destination" of the country and the region as well.

VNA will closely coordinate with the Kien Giang authorities and Vinpearl Phu Quoc to boost trade promotion to help Phu Quoc become an attractive destination and a centre of tourism services of regional and international standards.

Vinpearl Phu Quoc, a new place for tourism, will open on November 1, 2014. The 300-hectare area includes a five-star hotel, villas and a golf court.

On this occasion, VNA will sell return tickets for the Phu Quoc-Singapore flights at VND388,000, or US$18, from September 26 to November 30, 2014, for flights between December 18 and January 31, 2015. The return tickets for the Phu Quoc-Siem Reap flights will be sold from September 30 to December 31, 2014, at VND1,338,000, or $63, for flights between December 18 and January 31, 2015.

The fares do not include taxes and fees and can be revised in accordance with the foreign exchange rate.

VNA operates on 57 international and 39 domestic routes, reaching 29 international and 21 domestic destinations. — VNS