Da Nang (VNA) – A ceremony to welcome the first direct flight from Narita airport in Tokyo (Japan) to Da Nang after a long suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic was held by the national carrier Vietnam Airlines in the central beach city on March 26.
The nearly 180 Japanese passengers on the Vietnam Airlines flight were greeted with art performance and gifts from the city.
Deputy Director of Da Nang Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh said that Japan is considered a key market of the city’s tourism with stable growth. The locality received more than 183,000 Japanese arrivals in 2019, an increase of nearly 200% compared to 2015 (92,000 arrivals).
Since Vietnam reopened to international tourism in March 2022, the city has welcomed about 27,000 Japanese visitors. The resumption of regular flights from Narita to Da Nang is expected to make a positive contribution to attracting Japanese tourists back to Da Nang and vice versa in the coming time.
According to the airline, in the initial phase, starting from March 26, 2023 to June 30, 2023, the Narita - Da Nang route will operate four flights a week on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
From July 1 onward, Vietnam Airlines plans to operate daily flights with a frequency of seven flights a week in an attempt to boost tourism and trade exchange between Japan and the central region of Vietnam./.
