October 24 was a busy day for State President Nguyen Minh Triet travelling around Phu Yen province to inaugurate a new air route, grant investment licenses for three major projects and launch construction of a transport system.

The State leader started the day by flying aboard plane VNA504 from Hanoi to Tuy Hoa among the first passengers of the route from the capital city to the central province. At the Tuy Hoa airport, Triet cut a ribbon to officially launch the flights from Hanoi to Tuy Hoa and vice versa.

The State President said the new air route will help boost trade flows between the central province and major economic hubs across the nation, thus making it a stimulus for the province to attract investments.

On this occasion, VietnamAirlines announced a promotion campaign by offering one-way tickets at 705,000 VND each instead of between 900,000 VND and 1.7 million VND.

Next to the air route inauguration, President Triet and provincial leaders handed over licenses for investment to three major projects, including an 11.48 billion USD metropolis south of Da Rang river in Tuy Hoa city by the US Galileo Investment Group.

The other two projects are the expansion of the Bai Tram eco-tourist site invested by the La Prela-Tashun Company from the Netherlands and the construction of the Le Uyen metropolis by the Thanh Vinh Mineral Joint-stock Company of Vietnam .

Later on, the State President went to the construction site by the coast to launch the building of a coastal transport system, which plays a key role in the provincial strategy for national defence and economic development.

He then visited the construction site of the Hung Vuong bridge in Tuy Hoa city, presenting gifts to construction workers, and the Air Force Regiment No 910, where he planted a tree.

The province took this occasion to announce the Government’s approval for the establishment of the Southern Phu Yen Economic Zone, one of the nation’s 15 coastal economic complexes.

Under the approved planning, the project will cover o ver 11,500 ha of land to house 180,000 residents.

A number of its infrastructure facilities have been built, including the Tuy Hoa airport, the 200-ha Hoa Hiep industrial zone and the Vung Ro deep water seaport. These facilities have been linked with each other by the Hung Vuong road that runs through Tuy Hoa city to the Vung Ro seaport.

Many other projects are ahead, including the Bai Goc seaport to shelter heavy tonnage ships, a railway from Tuy Hoa to the Central Highlands and a subway across the Ca Pass.

The Southern Phu Yen Economic Zone has been designed to be connected with the Van Phong Economic Zone in the neighbouring Khanh Hoa province to emerge as an economic hub for the central and Central Highlands region.

Along with economic activities, investors have donated 2.9 billion VND to the fund for the poor in Phu Yen province./.