Leaders of the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism welcome Russian tourists at Can Ranh International Airport

The Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in coordination with relevant agencies, welcomed the first commercial flight from Moscow to Cam Ranh International Airport on March 23.

Operated by Russian national carrier Aeroflot, the route utilizes Airbus A350-900 and A330-300 aircraft, which can accommodate 315 and 295 passengers, respectively. Flights will run three times per week.

The inaugural flight, carrying 292 passengers from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, landed at Cam Ranh International Airport at 9:30 a.m.

Russia has long been a key tourism market for Khanh Hoa province. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, direct flights from Russia to the province had been suspended, leading to a decline in Russian tourist arrivals in recent years.

During a recent visit to Russia, a delegation from Khanh Hoa province met with representatives of Aeroflot. At the meeting, provincial leaders underscored the significance of launching a direct flight route to boost tourism between the two countries.

The resumption of this flight route will help shorten travel time, lower airfare costs, and further develop the Russian tourist market. Additionally, it is expected to enhance trade and bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Russia.

Earlier, Russia’s Azur Air resumed charter flights from 11 Russian cities to Khanh Hoa on March 17. The airline plans to operate 50 flights in April, gradually increasing to nearly 100 flights by July.

In addition to Aeroflot and Azur Air, other Russian airlines have also announced plans to open direct flights to Cam Ranh this summer.