Phu Bai International Airport in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue inaugurated its second terminal on Friday, welcoming travelers in a flight operated by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.
The flight departed from Ho Chi Minh City and arrived at the new terminal, T2, in the morning with 168 passengers. T2 serves 46 flights in all on Friday, according to data from the Phu Bai airport.
The inauguration of T2 can help elevate aviation quality in Thua Thien-Hue and nearby provinces, especially overseas trips, said Phu Bai International Airport director Nguyen Duc Tien.
The construction of T2 started in December 2019 with an investment of VND2.25 trillion ($95.89 million). The 2.24-hectare facility is designed to serve five million passengers a year in the first phase and then nine million in the second phase.
Hue, capital of Thua-Thien Hue in central Vietnam, is home to the Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO heritage site, and close to the tourism city of Danang and the ancient town of Hoi An, another UNESCO heritage site in Quang Nam province.
This year, Thua Thien-Hue targets to welcome 3.5 million tourists, with domestic ones accounting for 70-80% of the total, earning revenue of VND7 trillion ($298.3 million), according to provincial authorities.
In the first quarter of this year, the province attracted 633,261 visitors, posting revenue of VND1.41 trillion ($60.3 million), up 113.46% and 194.92% year-on-year, respectively.