The central province of Quang Binh suggested the the Ministry of Transport and Vietnam Airlines increase the number of domestic and international flights to and from Dong Hoi airport, in a bid to meet tourists’ demands.

The provincial People’s Committee proposed more flights be run on routes connecting Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Hoi, while a new route linking Dong Hoi city and Taiwan ( China ) should be launched.

According to the committee, Dong Hoi airport’s infrastructure is now capable of servicing planes around the clock, allowing it to handle the surging number of passengers.

Currently, Quang Binh is calling upon low-cost airlines to make use of the airport.

With more than 116km of coastline and numerous natural attractions, including a complex of over 300 caves, Quang Binh has seen a strong development in tourism, the locality’s driving force for economic development.

During the first seven months of this year, the province welcomed over 2.4 million tourists; almost double that of the same period last year.

Recently, the Vietnam Records Organisation listed four tourism sites in Quang Binh amongst the top 50 must-see travel destinations in Vietnam, including Phong Nha Cave, Ngang Pass, Nhat Le Beach and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, which was recognised as a Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

With the opening of Son Doong Cave in 2013, Quang Binh was instantly catapulted onto the bucket lists of travellers all over the world.

The New York Times named Quang Binh as one of the most attractive destinations in Asia and ranked it eighth out of the world’s 52 must-see sites for 2014, while US magazine Business Insider included Son Doong Cave in its list of the 12 most impressive caves.-VNA