Direct flights between the Lao capital Vientiane and Vietnam’s central Da Nang city were resumed by Lao Airlines after a long period of suspension due to Covid-19.

The first flight, QV317, from Vientiane to Da Nang on March 30 carried nearly 150 passengers.

The Vientiane - Da Nang route will see two flights a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, using Airbus A320 aircraft.

The flights are expected to boost tourism development in Da Nang and promote links between the city and Laos.

Da Nang welcomed nearly 10,000 Lao tourists last year, or 2.1 per cent of its total foreign visitors, making Laos its tenth-largest source market.

Lao Airlines resumed direct flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in May last year after Vietnam reopened its borders to international travelers.