Vietnam’s aviation sector has recovered strongly and started to grow since the beginning of this year, especially in regard to domestic passenger numbers, a representative from Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) told a conference summarizing the first eight months of 2022.

Passenger numbers in the first eight months are estimated at more than 66 million. Domestic passengers alone are believed to stand at nearly 61 million, an increase of 19.9 per cent compared to the same period of pre-pandemic 2019. Although international passengers reached just over 5 million, down 81.5 per cent compared to 2019, numbers have been increasing each month.

In terms of cargo volumes, there was a decline of 8.7 per cent in the first eight months compared to the same period of 2019. There has been a change in the proportion of international against domestic cargo volumes, however, at 79/21, while in 2019 it was 66/34.

Take-offs and landings have surpassed the highest level in 2019, the ACV emphasized. There have been 157,762 takeoffs and landings so far this year, an increase of 3 per cent compared to 2019.

Participants at the conference also touched on investment in upgrading information technology at airports, such as digital conversion applications.