The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and Vietnam Airlines have signed a comprehensive cooperation program for the 2023-2027 period.

The southern city has posted impressive growth in recent times in the number of domestic and international visitors, positioning its brand on the world tourism map as a friendly, attractive, and safe international destination.

For Vietnam Airlines, Ho Chi Minh City is not just a key commercial market but also a particularly important air transit center, playing a role in connecting airports throughout the country, especially in northern and central provinces and cities in the south and Mekong Delta. It is also a connection gateway and transit center between countries in the EU, the US, Australia, and Asia to Southeast Asia.

The national flag carrier currently operates flights between Ho Chi Minh City and 19 domestic airports and 26 international airports, of which the newest is the Ho Chi Minh City - Perth route officially opening on December 7. Flights departing from and arriving in Ho Chi Minh City account for about 60 per cent of Vietnam Airlines’ total flights.

Promoting the effective implementation of a cooperation agreement between the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and the Vietnam Airlines Corporation for the period 2017-2021 has contributed to the development of the city’s tourism and transportation industry.

The cooperation between the two in the 2023-2027 period is upgraded to comprehensive cooperation in all fields, such as in investment promotion, trade, tourism, and aviation; coordinating the research and formation of tourist products and destinations; coordinating the organization of educational, cultural, sports and tourism events; and cooperating in organizing, participating in, and supporting programs of Ho Chi Minh City working groups at home and abroad.

Mr. Phan Van Mai, Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, and Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, said the cooperation between the two has been identified as an important task and solution in implementing the city’s socio-economic development plan.

“The new cooperation program is expected to enhance comprehensive cooperation,” he added. “Through this comprehensive cooperation program, the relationship between the two sides will become increasingly closer, and Vietnam Airlines always puts Ho Chi Minh City as the top focus in its strategy to develop international and domestic routes, contributing to enhancing the city’s position in the region and the world.”

Mr. Dang Ngoc Hoa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Airlines, believes that cooperation between Vietnam Airlines and Ho Chi Minh City will contribute to effective support in organizing diplomatic, cultural, investment, and trade activities, combined with tourism promotion, and to its socio-economic development.