HCM City seminar helps boost trade, investment in Russia

A seminar was held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 11 to help businesses effectively tap the Russian market and increase import-export activities in the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

According to Deputy Director of the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) Ho Xuan Lam, Vietnam has become Russia ’s top priority partner in the path of entering the ASEAN market while Russia serves as a key market for Vietnam to expand business and investment in the Customs Union.

The two countries should map out their own strategies to exploit each other’s markets, especially after a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the union is concluded in early 2015, he said.

Kapustkinh Nikolay A, Deputy Chief Representative of the Russian Trade Office in Vietnam, said it is the best time for Vietnamese enterprises to invest and start up business in Russia since the FTA will bring big opportunities to them.

On the occasion, ITPC informed that it will send a delegation to study the market and promote trade in Russia from January 17-24, 2015.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Russia surpassed 2 billion USD in the first nine months of 2014, of which the former’s exports were worth nearly 1.44 billion USD, down 10 percent compared to the same period last year.

Trade between HCM City and the European country hit over 250 million USD during the period and the city is now home to 20 Russian-invested projects with a total capital of over 44 million USD.-VNA

First ever international flight to Phu Quoc island

Phu Quoc island is a tropical paradise off the coast of Vietnam that is increasing in reputation and popularity with tourists every year. They had opened a world class international terminal and we were very proud that the first ever international flight was one of our Ikar planes directly from Russia. The plane taxied in under an arch of water provided by the airport fire engines – this is an old tradition for maiden flights globally. The event was attended by many proud government dignitaries and was shown on the national news that evening.

First flight from Kazakhstan

We were delighted to also handle the first direct flight from Kazakhstan to Can Ranh. During the high tourist season there were regular flights arriving from Almaty and Astana using SCAT Airlines. The Kazahs all said they loved Vietnam so we hope that we can welcome many more!

First flights to Saigon

As part of the ever increasing tourism between Russia and Vietnam, we handled our client Nordwind’s first flight between Russia and Ho chi Minh City (Saigon airport). The first plane was a full Boeing 777 and the People’s Committee tourism department assisted us with a pleasant welcome for the first tourists including flower garlands.

First flight brings Ukrainian tourists to Khanh Hoa

Cam Ranh International Airport on November 26 welcomed the first direct flight from Ukraine carrying 238 tourists to the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

The weekly route, flown by Ukraine’s Kharkiv Airlines, will be piloted until April next year.

The tour to Khanh Hoa is operated by the Ho Chi Minh City-based Anh Duong Co. Ltd. and its Russian partner Pegas Turistik. They have also offered tours from the Far East region of Russia to Vietnam’s central provinces via direct flights to Cam Ranh Airport since late 2010.

According to Chairwoman of Anh Duong’s Board of Directors Hoang Thi Phong Thu, over 136,000 Russian tourists have visited the central provinces of Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, and Da Nang city through their tours so far this year. The figure is expected to reach 150,000 by the end of 2013.

She pinned her hope on the growth of Ukrainian tourist numbers, with holidays lasting 10 – 14 days like their fellow travellers from Russia.

Statistics from the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that more than 9,000 Ukrainian tourists have arrived in Khanh Hoa by different means in the 11-month period.
Source: CPV

Our Ikar flight carries 2 millionth passenger to Cam Ranh

NDO/VNA – A Russian tourist has become the 2 millionth visitor arriving at the Cam Ranh International Airport in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa this year.

Chiganova Elena landed at the airport on December 30 in a flight carrying more than 280 passengers.

Cam Ranh airport was commercialized in 2003 after serving as a defence airport. It hosted domestic flights until 2010 with an annual growth of only 10%, receiving hundred of thousands arrivals per year.

The airport has seen strong growth since 2011 after it put into use a terminal with a capacity of 1.5 million visitors per year.

Apart from domestic flights, it currently receives international flights from various countries, including Russia, the Republic of Korea and a number of European countries.

In October this year, Khanh Hoa province was allowed to call for investment for the construction of the second runway at a cost of about VND1.4 trillion (US$65.8 million).

Supervising flights in Da Nang

It was a pleasure for Nam Anh to supervise regular flights in and out of the ultra modern Danang International airport. We received regular direct flights from several Russian cities from our clients Nordwind and Ikar airlines. We tank all of the authorities in Danang for helping us run everything so smoothly for the tourists!