A VND24,311 billion (over $1 billion) upgrade plan is proposed for Cam Ranh International Airport in tourism hotspot Khanh Hoa as demand far exceeds passenger capacity.
Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) is proposing the Ministry of Transport expands the airport's annual capacity from the current 6.65 million passengers to 25 million by 2030, and 36 million by 2050.
The existing plan is to expand capacity to eight million by 2030, less than one third of the newly-proposed figure.
In 2019, a pre-pandemic year, Cam Ranh received 10 million passengers, over 50% higher than its design capacity.
With domestic terminal T1 and international terminal T2, Cam Ranh airport as designed could handle 2.65 million people and four million passengers annually, respectively.
In 2020 and 2021, when the Covid-19 outbreak wrought havoc on tourism worldwide, arrivals at the airport still reached 3.3 million. The figure is expected to quickly rise in the coming years.
The CAAV also suggested a new cargo terminal to handle 55,000 tons of goods a year in the period until 2030, expanded to 100,000 tons by 2050.
The period 2021-2030 is expected to see VND24,311 billion ($1.04 billion) worth of investment capital for Cam Ranh. The tally for the period after 2030 with a vision to 2050 is VND15,065 billion ($647 million).
Cam Ranh International Airport covers nearly 65,000 square meters in Cam Ranh town, comprising two runways, three aprons in addition to terminals T1 and T2.
Located in south-central Vietnam, the coastal province of Khanh Hoa is a top tourism destination, boasting some of the country's most beautiful bays, Nha Trang and Cam Ranh, and resort islands.