Speaking at the event, Nguyen Minh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People's Committee, emphasized that the city’s Party Congress Resolution for the 2025–2030 term - as well as other central government resolutions - underscore the goal of developing Hai Phong into a smart, ecological, and livable city. Tourism is seen as a key pillar in realizing this vision.

According to Hung, Hai Phong boasts diverse tourism resources, including two sites that are part of UNESCO-recognized world heritage complexes: Ha Long Bay–Cat Ba Archipelago and Yen Tu–Vinh Nghiem–Con Son, Kiep Bac. The city also features a well-developed transportation infrastructure, offering all five modes of transport: road, rail, waterway, sea, and air.

Among them, Cat Bi International Airport plays a critical role in northern Vietnam. It meets the 4E airport standard, capable of accommodating large aircraft.

To build a sustainable tourism sector and improve its competitiveness, tight coordination between tourism and aviation is essential. Air travel not only serves as a channel for commerce but also acts as a “lever” to increase visitor volume and enhance accessibility to Hai Phong’s attractions.

Nguyen Minh Hung stressed that the conference offered a timely platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas and identify practical solutions to deepen collaboration between the two sectors. The aim is to increase the number of flight routes to Hai Phong, strengthen trade links, and stimulate travel demand.

The city is committed to creating the most favorable conditions for aviation and tourism enterprises and partners to thrive. It will also continue improving its policies and investing in upgrading tourist destinations to provide visitors with more professional and high-quality experiences.

At the event, participants discussed various topics including recent investments, airport upgrades, and current operations at Cat Bi International Airport. They addressed the demand for new air routes to Hai Phong, challenges in implementation, and proposed support mechanisms for airlines. Delegates also explored ways to partner with travel companies and neighboring localities to develop attractive tourism offerings aimed at boosting air arrivals.

Le Huy Truong, Deputy Director of Cat Bi International Airport, shared that the airport is currently operating key domestic routes to major destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, Buon Ma Thuot, Da Lat, and Can Tho. These routes directly connect Hai Phong with major economic and tourism hubs across Vietnam.

On the international front, the airport serves flights to Incheon (South Korea), as well as Lijiang, Nanning, and Kunming (China). Airlines currently operating at Cat Bi include Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines, Lucky Airlines, QingDao Airlines, Ruili Airlines, Thai AirAsia, and Shenzhen Airlines.

On average, the airport handles 40 to 50 flight movements per day. In the past 10 months alone, it has served over 2 million passengers.

Le Huy Truong also highlighted some successful aviation-tourism partnerships and proposed further steps to attract more air travelers. These include ramping up tourism promotion in key markets such as Thailand, China, and South Korea, and facilitating links between domestic and international travel businesses to ensure stable passenger flows - especially when launching new routes.

Additionally, he called for tighter coordination between city authorities, departments, and the airport in developing tourism products, bundling tickets with tours and promotional packages to optimize the performance of new international routes.

Thu Hang