Russia negotiates regular direct flights to Vietnam: official

Russia is actively negotiating regular direct flights to Vietnam and some other Asian countries this year, according to Andrei Vinichenko, general director of Vladivostok International Airport.

Vinichenko told local media on Thursday that Russian representatives are negotiating with airlines in Vietnam, China and South Korea on the launch of the routes. They also plan to have talks with Japanese and Thai partners in the time ahead.

The official expressed his hope that many flights to Vladivostok would be restored within this year.

Earlier, Russian officials had affirmed efforts to restore direct flights to Vietnam to serve travel demand after the removal of Covid-induced travel restrictions.

Russian Special Envoy, Senior Official at APEC Kirill Barsky stressed Russia wants to resume direct flights to the three Southeast Asian nations of Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

Barsky noted his belief that post-pandemic air transport recovery would be one of the major topics tabled for discussion at the upcoming meeting of APEC Tourism Ministers in Thailand on August 19.

Vietnamese Consul General in Vladivostok Nguyen Dang Hien had a recent working session with the Governor of Primorsky, Krai Oleg Kozhemyako, during which they agreed on the possibility of opening direct flights.

Hien said COVID-19 has been brought under control in Vietnam, businesses activities have returned to normal and travel restrictions on international tourists have been completely lifted.

Russia will upgrade the Vladivostok airport to meet global standards, amid increasing travel demand among Russians seeking to travel abroad.

Vladivostok International Airport is roughly an hour's drive north of the center of Vladivostok, the second largest city in the Russian Far East, after Khabarovsk.

Russia’s tourism authority in early March recommended Vietnam as one of the safe travel destinations without any restrictions for Russian tourists amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Other countries in the list of the Federal Agency for Tourism of Russia are Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, UAE, China and India.

The recommendations were announced by the nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on concerning locals travelling abroad as many countries were imposing sanctions and restrictions on Moscow following its military attack against Ukraine.

Russia contributed a significant part to the tourism market in Vietnam before the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Coastal town Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa province is the most popular destination in Vietnam for Russian tourists.